among the mountains covered in mist
Frosted Hakone mountain range

Foggy, Hakone Nishi-Foothills area

In the Hakone Nishi Foothills area, the entire region is shrouded in fog throughout the year. The fog keeps the humidity appropriate for vegetables, which prevents the surface of the vegetables from drying out, opens the pores, and increases the rate of photosynthesis, resulting in the growth of high quality vegetables.

Frosty, cold temperatures on the plateau

In the western foothills, where temperatures are 3-4°C lower than in the plains, the mornings and evenings are cool enough to bring frost. Vegetables are exposed to a lot of light during the day and produce sugars through photosynthesis. Then they breathe. When they breathe, they consume the sugars produced by photosynthesis, but when the temperature is cold, they do not breathe as much and consume less sugar. The unique topography of the western foothills region produces a well-balanced difference in temperature and humidity, which allows the vegetables to accumulate sugar content and produce nutritious, fruit-filled products.