Kumamoto Prefecture, where SUGI BEE GARDEN 's headquarters is located. This year, the rainy season began in mid-June, and even now in July, the humid heat continues day after day.
As the rainy season began, honeycomb harvesting reached its peak at each apiary in the prefecture.
Unfortunately, it started raining early in the morning on the day we took this photo. We spoke to Section Chief Murano, a member of the beekeeping department, who was working under a parasol to protect himself from the rain.
Q: How is the condition of the honeycomb this year?
Section Chief Murano: This year, the rainy season started later than usual, so we were blessed with good weather and the bees worked hard. I feel that the end product is better than last year. The nectar caps, which are a characteristic part of honeycombs, are tightly packed and the honey is tightly packed inside the cells. The harvest volume is the same as usual, but I think the quality of the honeycomb itself is high.
When honey is stored in a comb (a hexagonal chamber), the bees use their wings to remove the moisture, increasing the sugar content.
The fact that it has a lid on is a sign that it is filled with sweet honey with a sugar content of over 80%.
Honeycomb honey (large) on display in the store. Each one is checked by hand to make sure it is perfect.
-- Q: This year too, the hives are so well-capped that they look completely white! It's enchanting to see how much honey is trapped inside.
Murano: That's right. There are bees that make beautiful honeycomb honey like works of art, as shown in this photo, but on the other hand, there are also bees that don't do that.
Q: What do you mean when you say that it's not like that?
Section Chief Murano: Sometimes the honey caps are not covered properly, or only a part is left uncovered. Also, sometimes there are rooms that are not fully filled with honey. Each colony produces different types of honeycomb. Just because there are a lot of bees does not mean that the honeycomb will be beautiful. It's strange, but just as there are people who are meticulous and people who are careless, I think there are differences in the bees' personalities as well.
-- Q: Suibuchi Mitsu has a loyal fan base every year. Please say a few words to the customers who are looking forward to this year's sales!
Manager Murano: Once the bees have collected all the honey in one cell (a hexagonal chamber), they put a lid on it. The cell honey is completely covered. We think of this as the result of the bees' efforts, which we call the "crystallization of blood and sweat." It is said that one bee can only produce a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, and cell honey is a product that the bees have poured their heart and soul into. We hope you will enjoy it to the fullest.
Freshly harvested domestic honeycomb this year.
Please feel free to pick it up and enjoy its beautiful finish and luxurious taste.
*Please contact each store in advance when purchasing.
▽ You can also purchase it on the official website ▽
https://www.0038.co.jp/ec/products/detail.php?product_id=208
