Fuji (apple)

Lore & Background

The Fuji apple was created in 1939 at the Tōhoku Research Station in Fujisaki, Aomori, Japan, by crossing two American apple varieties: Red Delicious and Ralls Janet (sometimes called 'Rawls Jennet'). It was named and brought to market in 1962, taking its name from the first part of the town Fujisaki. The apple is typically round, large to very large (averaging 75 mm in diameter), and contains 9–11% sugars by weight. Its dense flesh is sweeter and crisper than many other cultivars, and it has a very long shelf life—up to a year with refrigeration. The Fuji thrives in areas with relatively warm summers and ripens late in the season, after McIntosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp, but at the same time as Empire, Red Delicious, and EverCrisp.

Reader's Guide

The Fuji apple holds significant cultural and economic importance, particularly in Japan and China. In Japan, it remains an unrivaled best-seller, and Aomori Prefecture—home of the Fuji—produces 500,000 of the roughly 900,000 tons of Japanese apples annually. Outside Japan, its popularity continues to grow: in 2016 and 2017, Fuji apples accounted for nearly 70% of China's 43 million tons grown. In North America, the Fuji debuted in the late twentieth century and has been a market success. As of 2024, it ranked fifth among the most popular apple varieties in the United States, behind Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp. It is also a top variety in Canada. Most American Fuji apples are grown in Washington State, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Oregon. However, by 2025, the Fuji dropped to sixth place in Washington State, overtaken by the Cosmic Crisp. The Fuji has also given rise to many mutant cultivars (sports) and descendant cultivars, including EverCrisp (Fuji × Honeycrisp) and Autumn Glory (Fuji × Golden Delicious). Its price look-up code in the United States and Canada is 4131.

Did You Know?

• The Fuji apple was developed in 1939 as a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet apples.
• Its name is derived from the first part of the town where it was developed: Fujisaki.
• Fuji apples can remain fresh for up to a year with refrigeration.
• In 2016 and 2017, Fuji apples accounted for nearly 70% of China's 43 million tons grown.