Atami’s Daidai — A Fruit of Family Prosperity and Good Fortune

Atami is best known for its hot springs and the Atami Sea Fireworks Festival, held an impressive sixteen times a year.
Located just 40 minutes from Tokyo by bullet train, Atami is an ideal destination even for a day trip.

One experience not to be missed while exploring Atami is its café culture featuring daidai, a local citrus specialty.
With its clean, refreshing aroma and bright flavor, daidai is widely used throughout the city in savory dishes, sweets, drinks, and even alcoholic beverages.

Originally, daidai was written with the characters meaning “generation after generation.”
The fruit bears abundantly each year, and even after ripening, it does not fall from the tree. As a result, fruit from two or three seasons may coexist on the same branch.
Seeing this, people in the past interpreted daidai as a symbol of continuity and longevity, and it came to be regarded as a lucky fruit. This is why daidai is traditionally placed atop kagami-mochi at New Year’s—carrying the wish that prosperity and descendants may continue for generations.

Even today, daidai remains cherished as a symbol of family prosperity and steadfast success, and is often associated with wishes such as academic achievement and good fortune.

As souvenirs to enjoy at home, products made with daidai—such as Japanese and Western-style sweets, marmalade, dressings, and ponzu sauce—are especially popular.