Reika

[svalli]

I'm starting to sow tomatoes this week and went through the seeds I got Japan. There is still few, which I have not grown. I have been translating the texts on the package with Google translator app and also asked help form my Japanese colleagues. One which I plan grow this year is Reika.
I have tried to find out if it is determinate or indeterminate and what size plant to except. Somewhere I read that is is more compact than Momotaro.
In an other thread about Japanese tomatoes I saw Reika mentioned, so I would appreciate any information about growth habit, taste etc. from people who have grown this variety.

An other bigger fruited one, which I plan to sow now is named 甘太郎. Google translates it as Amataro, but my colleague said that is Kantaro. It should be about 2 meters tall, so it must be indeterminate.

Attached are photos of Reika seed packet.

Sari

[peebee]

I grew Reika many years ago and all I can remember is, it was good; not outstanding but a good variety. It did not get huge but I can't give specifics as it was so long ago. I also had seeds of Kantaro but never grew them out and finally threw them out when they got old. My reasoning was, if they were so good, it would be popular but no one I knew ever grew it, even tho the seeds were very cheap, and I never saw the variety in the markets in Japan. Since my gardening space is so limited I could not afford to grow something that might not be worth my while. But if I had the seeds now I would grow out at least one plant, just to satisfy my curiosity.
Do post your results here Svalli! I came across an old post of yours the other day, you had Amakko and some others from Japan. How did you like it? I have very very bad luck with them germinating; in fact I sowed several in early Jan. and none sprouted. I try to have at least one plant every year as I like it.

[svalli]

Thanks peebee! I grew Amakko last year and we liked it, even it was not as sweet as チェリーメイト (Cherry-mate?), which I also got from Japan and grew last year. I checked my notes and it seems that 3/5 Amakko seeds germinated, while Cherry-mate and Yellow Aiko had 100% germination.

This year I have sown Carol Passion, Cherry-mate, Kantaro and Reika from the Japanese seeds. My husband is right now in Japan on a business trip, so he may again bring me some new seeds, which I could still try sowing this year.

I found some Japanese gardening site with information about Kantaro, but I could not find any comments about taste.

I'll post my growing results for both Reika and Kantaro, but it will take some time. We have still thick layer of snow on the ground and the soil in the containers in the greenhouse is frozen solid.

Sari

[KarenO]

I find this thread interesting. please do post more as your season goes along
KarenO

[peebee]

Does your husband buy the seeds in nurseries there, or does he buy them online while there? Reason I ask is, I go once a year and if I miss the "season" or optimal time to sow any particular vegetable, they are gone. It's not like here in California, where any variety of anything is available year round. I even went to Sakata Seed to buy pepper seeds and they told me I could not buy any cuz the season was not right for it. Only after I begged and pleaded that I was a tourist and cannot return, did they reluctantly bring some out. Of course now, we can buy any seeds there online at any time of the year.
You might be interested in a newish cherry tomato called Pinky or another one called Komomo (Little Peach). The later is described as tasting like Momotaro, in a little form. Could be hype, I will try to get seeds but even if I do I cannot grow them till next year as it is too late for me here.
Geez hope your winter is over soon.

[svalli]

He has purchased the seeds from some kind of home improvement store named GooDay, which operates in Fukuoka, where he visits couple of times a year. Doing any shopping during the trips is a bit challenging, because they usually have business meetings from 8am to evening and after that they go to a dinner. If any shopping is done, he has to ask the local colleagues help and it is a bit awkward to ask their help for going to buy seeds. From one trip I wanted to get real fresh wasabi. It was more difficult task than expected. They had visited many stores to find it. I think that part of the problem is that I have asked items which the local engineers do not usually buy so they do not know the best places. So now I limit my requests and do not dare to ask anything specific to find.

We both work at the same company, so my tomato and other vegetable growing obsession is quite known by our Japanese colleagues. Some of them have even brought me seeds when visiting Finland. I have now quite many packages of the same varieties, because all of those must be from that same store. I have two unopened Amakko seed packages labeled for 2016, PM me, if you are interested trying them. The seeds which I have many packages will just get old in my seed box.

Sari

[gardeninglee]

Your Reika looks a little like a variety I grew last year japanese pink cherry. Is Reika a saladette size?

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...se+pink+cherry

[svalli]

Reika fruits should be about 4-6 ounces, so it is bigger than the Japanese Pink cherry.
Here is some information about both varieties:
http://rogersgardens.com/top-ten-favorite-tomatoes/

[peebee]

From the link you provided, I think the Japanese Pink Cherry is the same as Komomo I mentioned here. Both are described as having the Momotaro taste.
Thanks for that.