Early peaches that color the summer in Japan, a specialty of the Kamo district of Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture

Early peaches that color the summer in Japan, a specialty of the Kamo district of Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture

　As the summer solstice approaches and the weather gets hotter by the day, early peaches, a local specialty, are ripe for harvest in areas such as the Kamo district in the southern part of Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture. Farmers carefully pick and ship the ripe, pink fruits. (Atsushi Yoshida)

　The city's Kamo district and Minami Hanaya Shiki district are known as some of the prefecture's leading producers of early peaches.

Early peaches being harvested at Masayuki Ota's farm, Kamo 3, Kawanishi City

　Masayuki Ota (63) from the Kamo district grows about 50 peach trees inherited from his parents in a field of about 2,000 square meters. This year, the flowers bloomed late, probably due to a series of low temperatures in early spring, and harvesting of the extremely early variety ``Hanayome'' began on the 13th, two or three days later than usual. The main variety, Hikawa Hakuho, will begin shipping on the 16th and will continue to be shipped throughout this month.