As delicious as they look, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and French President Emmanuel Macron might be somewhat hesitant to bite into these apples. Not with their faces staring back at them.
In what has become a tradition at Sato Fukuroten Co., an apple packaging plant located in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, the company has sent boxes of apples from this year's crop to the leaders of the two countries with their images on the bright red fruits.
The process involves attaching a special seal to the apple before picking that, after being exposed to sunlight, causes the image to remain on the apple. The company has commissioned apple farmers to produce the artful apples.
About 200 pieces were provided this year. Of those, 108 were divided and packed into boxes to be sent to Suga, Macron and other places.
The apples are large-size Mutsu variety. In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, the company included designs of the Mona Lisa and The Annunciation this year.
"An abundance of nature is painted in the background of da Vinci's works," Sato Fukuroten President Yoshihiro Sato said. "I want to include a message that expresses the importance of harmony between man and nature."
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