The time is ripe for picking strawberries in Kansai. Kid-friendly, u-pick greenhouses and berry patches are open from mid-December to late spring/early summer based on availability. Families indulge on luscious, red berries during timed all-you-can-pick-and-eat sessions. Some places offer extras like condensed milk for dipping or the option of paying more to take home an extra serving (priced on availability by gram, 12 oz (350g)—roughly a pint —for about 500 yen.) Add-ons like outdoor restaurants with barbeques or petting zoos make an enjoyable and unforgettable day trip away from the busy city bustle.

Take your pick from this list of strawberry farms in Kansai (websites in Japanese only). Call ahead or make an online reservation, as places need to confirm availability before you come.

** Denotes additional information such as organic farming or ecological practices, wheelchair/stroller accessibility, or easy train access.

SOURCE: (In Japanese):　　http://sp.walkerplus.com/ichigo/list/ar0700/

All photos used with permission from the lovely Mori family. The photos were taken at Ōmi Maiko Strawberry Farm in Shiga Prefecture. 

Shiga Prefecture

Strawberry picking farms in Shiga;

Otsu Area

☆ Ōmi Maiko Strawberry Farm (近江舞子いちご園）

URL: http://www.roji15.com/

TEL: 090-1155-1515

SEASON: Early May to early June

**walking distance from JR station

Nagahama Area

☆ Pure Vegetable Kingdom/Jyun Yasai Ōkoku (純野菜王国）

URL: http://junoukoku.com/junyasai

TEL: 090-8822-8360

SEASON: Early January to mid-May

Kusatsu Area

☆ Rock Bay Garden (ロック ベイ ガーデン）

URL: http://www.rockbaygarden.com/

TEL: 080-1487-5996

SEASON:  January 15 to mid-May

Kōga Area

☆ Kafuka Strawberry Garden (鹿深いちご園)

URL: http://www.technos-farm.com/ichigo.html

TEL: 0120-115-747

SEASON: Early January to late May

**Stroller and wheelchair friendly

☆ Kōga Strawberry House (甲賀いちごハウス）

URL: http://www.kouka15.com/strawberry.htm

TEL: 0748-88-4149

SEASON: January 5 to May 31

**10 minute walk from JR Kōga Station

Nozoshi City Area

☆ Strawberry & Blueberry Farm Felice (いちご＆ブルーベリー園 フェリーチェ)

URL:  http://www.minamide-farm.com/

TEL:  077-589-5917

SEASON:  Mid-December to May 31st

**Ten-minute cab ride from Yasu Station, stroller and wheelchair friendly

Higashi Ōmi Area

☆ T-Berry Farm

URL: http://tberryfarm.web.fc2.com/

TEL: 090-7362-9211

SEASON: Early January to early June

**Greenhouse does not use artifical heating and lighting

Kyoto Prefecture

Strawberry picking farms in Kyoto;

Yamashina Area

☆ Momota Farm (百田農園)

URL: http://www.momota-nouen.com/

TEL: 075-582-3128

SEASON: End of December to mid-May

Yawata Area

☆ Osazen Farm (おさぜん農園)

URL: http://osazen.com/ichigo/index.html

TEL: 075-982-6757

SEASON: December 1st to mid-June

**Stroller and wheelchair friendly

Osaka Prefecture

Strawberry picking farms in Osaka;

Sakai Area – South

☆ Sakai Green Museum Harvest Hill (堺・緑のミュージアム ハーベストの丘)

URL: http://farm.or.jp/

TEL: 072-296-9911

SEASON: Early January to May 31st

Sakai Area – North

☆ Strawberry Sakai (いちごの堺)

URL: http://www.ichigonosakai.com/

TEL: 070-5347-4115

SEASON: January 21 to late May

Kishiwada Area

☆ Kishiwada Tourist Farm (岸和田観光農園)

URL: http://www.kishiwada-f.jp/

TEL: 072-479-2256

SEASON: January 4 to June 15th

☆ Strawberry Fields Haru (いちご畑 はる)

URL: http://www.haru-ichigo.com/

TEL: 072-440-0200

SEASON: Early January to early June

Kazuka City Area

☆ Tawawa (たわわ)

URL: http://tawawa3081.sakura.ne.jp/index.php

TEL: 072-446-8000

SEASON: January 17th to May 24th

Yao Area

☆ GrandBerry

URL: http://www.grandberry.net/gb/

TEL: 090-6732-8072

SEASON: December 13th to end of May

**10 minute walk from Kintetsu Ondzi Station

Tonda Bayashi Area

☆ Savor Farm at Tonda Agricultural Park (富田林市農業公園サバーファーム）

URL: http://www.savor-farm.or.jp/

TEL: 0721-35-3500

SEASON: December 6 to early June

☆ Izumi Ogawa Strawberry Farm (いずみ小川いちご農園）

URL:  http://kogawa-ichigo.com/

TEL: 0725-92-3232

SEASON: March 1st to May 31

Toyono County near Nosei Town

☆  Strawberry En Nakagawa Tennou House (いちご縁中川(天王ハウス)

URL:  http://www.nakgw.com/

TEL: 090-5660-0928

SEASON: Late December to late June

**Additional location near Hase listed on website. (いちご縁中川(長谷ハウス)

Hyogo Prefecture

Strawberry picking farms in Hyogo;

Himeji City Area

☆ Buranko Strawberry Farm (ぶらんこいちご園）

URL: http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~e3079810/

TEL: 090-8046-0015

SEASON: Early January to mid-May

☆ Hanaoka Farm (花岡農園）

URL: none

TEL: 079-232-0093

SEASON: Early March to mid-May

Nishiwaki Area

☆ Shinoda Strawberry Farm（篠田いちご園）

URL: none

TEL: 0795-25-8888

SEASON: Early January to late-May

Miki City Area

☆ Uraraka Farm Misato (うららか・のうえん実里)

URL: http://uraraka-misato.jp/

TEL: 049-297-7909

SEASON: January 10th to late-May

Sanda City Area

☆ Shiitake Land Kasaya (しい茸ランド かさや）

URL:  http://www.kasaya.net/

TEL:  079-568-1301

SEASON: Early January to early June

**Stroller and wheelchair friendly

☆ Inakagi Farm (稲鍵ファーム）

URL:  http://www.takuminoichigo.jp/

TEL: 090-3994-3479

SEASON: Mid-January to end of June

Awaji City Area

☆ Awaji Farm Park England Hill (淡路ファームパーク イングランドの丘）

URL:  http://www.england-hill.com/

TEL: 0799-43-2626

SEASON: Late December to late May

Awaji Island Area- South

☆ Awaji Island Fruit Farm (淡路島フルーツ農園）

URL:  http://awajishima-fruits.jp/

TEL: 0799-85-2696

SEASON:  Mid-December to mid-June

Kanzaki Area

☆ Takai Farm (髙井農園）

URL: none

TEL: 0790-23-1992

SEASON: Mid-January to mid-May

Nara Prefecture

Strawberry picking farms in Nara, by area;

Nara City Area

☆ Hari Terrace Berry Farm (針テラス ベリーファーム）

URL: http://www.agrifarm.jp/

TEL: 0743-82-1717

SEASON: December 21st to late June

Gojo City Area

☆ Shimomura Berry Farm (下村ベリー園）

URL: http://www.ac.auone-net.jp/~bfshimo/

TEL:0747-24-3830

SEASON:  January 17 to May 31

Ikoma Area/ Sango Town

☆ Nodoka Village Sigisan Agricultural Park  (農業公園信貴山のどか村）

URL: http://www.sigisan-nodokamura.com/

TEL:  0745-73-8203

SEASON: January 4 to early June

Asuka Area

☆ Asuka Strawberrry Picking Park (あすかいちご狩りパーク)

URL:  http://www.asukadeasobo.jp/

TEL:  0744-54-1115

SEASON:  January 10 to May 31

Wakayama Prefecture

Strawberry picking farms in Wakayama, by area;

Gobo City Area

☆ Hidaka Tourist Farm (観光農園ひだか）

URL: http://www.hidaka.tv/

TEL: 0738-29-2348

SEASON: January 5 to mid-May

☆ Kinokuni Farm (農園紀の国）

URL: http://www.kinokunikko.com/

TEL:0738-29-3070

SEASON: January 5 to mid-May

** Stroller and wheelchair friendly

 Kinokawa City Area

☆ Kinokawa Fruit Farm (紀の川フルーツファーム)

URL: https://www.facebook.com/pages/紀の川フルーツファーム/652021044829258

TEL: 090-3729-5245

SEASON: January 1 to May 31

☆ Kishigawa Tourist Strawberry Picking Farm (貴志川観光いちご狩り園)

URL: http://www.kanko-kinokawa.jp/member/7212/

TEL: 0736-64-7212

SEASON: February 1 to mid-May

**Stroller and wheelchair friendly

Ito County/Kudoyama town

☆ Ichigo Land Kapuri

URL:  http://www.ichigoland-kapuri.jp/

TEL:  0736-54-3506

SEASON:  January 10 to end of May

**Greenhouse uses ladybugs for pest management