You’re standing in a grocery store in Tokyo. Maybe you’re just trying to finish a Duolingo lesson. Either way, you need the word. How do you say apple in Japanese? The short answer is ringo.
But if you stop there, you’re missing the weirdly specific way Japan treats this fruit. It’s not just a snack. In Japan, an apple is a gift, a luxury item, and sometimes a $20 investment. Honestly, just knowing the word isn’t enough to navigate a Japanese supermarket without some serious sticker shock.
The basic word for apple: Ringo
If you want to write it out, you’ve got options. In everyday life, you’ll mostly see it written in katakana as リンゴ. Technically, there is a kanji version—林檎—but even native speakers struggle to write those complex strokes by hand. It’s a lot of ink for a simple fruit. Most people stick to the phonetic katakana or sometimes hiragana (りんご) if they want it to look "cute" or traditional.
Say it with me: reen-go.
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The "o" at the end is short, like in "go." Don't drag it out. It’s snappy.
Japanese is a language of loanwords. You might wonder why they don't just use a Japanese-sounding version of "apple." They actually do sometimes. If you look at a menu for a fancy cafe, you might see appuru (アップル). This is used for "image" branding. An "apple pie" is almost always appuru pai. But if you’re holding the physical fruit in your hand? It’s a ringo.
Why Japanese apples are huge (literally)
When Americans or Europeans think of an apple, they think of something they can toss in a lunchbox. Something small. In Japan, apples are massive.
The Fuji apple is the king here. It was developed in Fujisaki, Aomori Prefecture, back in the 1930s. It’s a cross between two American varieties, the Red Delicious and the Virginia Ralls Janet. But the Japanese version is different. It’s crispier. It’s sweeter. It’s basically a dessert masquerading as a fruit.
Aomori produces about half of all apples in Japan. If you ever visit, you’ll see apple imagery everywhere—on manhole covers, mascot characters, and even in the local soups.
The "Honey Core" obsession
Have you ever sliced an apple and seen a translucent, watery-looking circle in the middle? In the West, some people might think the apple is rotting. In Japan, that’s the jackpot. It’s called mitsu, which translates to "honey."
It’s actually a concentration of sorbitol. Farmers in Nagano and Aomori use specific techniques to encourage this. When you're buying a ringo at a high-end department store like Isetan or Mitsukoshi, they might even use a light sensor to prove the "honey" content inside before you buy it.
You'll pay for it, though. A single, perfect apple can easily cost 500 yen (about $3.50), and the gift-grade ones? Those can go for 2,000 yen or more.
Useful phrases for your next trip
Knowing how to say apple in Japanese is great, but you need context. You can't just walk up to a clerk and bark "Ringo!" unless you want to look like a confused toddler.
- Ringo o hitotsu kudasai. (One apple, please.)
- Kono ringo wa amai desu ka? (Is this apple sweet?)
- Aomori-ken no ringo desu ka? (Is this an Aomori apple?)
Note the counter word "hitotsu." Japanese uses different counters for different objects. For round, fruit-like objects, you use the "tsu" system. If you say "ichi ringo," people will understand you, but it’ll sound clunky.
The cultural weight of the fruit
Apples aren't just for eating in Japan; they are for giving. This is a huge part of the culture. Gift-giving (Zoutou) is a formal social lubricant.
During the Oseibo (year-end) season, people send boxes of high-grade apples to bosses, doctors, or in-laws. These apples are flawless. No bruises. No asymmetry. Sometimes they even have designs grown into the skin—like a "luck" kanji character—by placing a sticker on the fruit while it's still on the tree so the sun tans the rest of the skin but leaves the hidden part pale.
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It’s art. Edible, crunchy art.
Misconceptions about Japanese fruit
People often hear about the $200 melons in Japan and assume all fruit is unaffordable. That’s not quite true. If you go to a local "yaoya" (vegetable stand) in a residential neighborhood like Setagaya or a rural town, you can find bags of "seconds"—apples with tiny blemishes—for a few hundred yen.
They taste exactly the same.
Also, don't expect a wide variety of tart apples. The Japanese palate for fruit leans heavily toward sweetness and a high water content. If you're looking for a sour Granny Smith to make a tart, you're going to have a hard time finding it in a standard supermarket. The market is dominated by the Fuji, the Sekai Ichi (which literally means "World's Number One"), and the Toki.
How to use this knowledge
If you are learning Japanese, start by labeling things in your kitchen. Put a sticky note on your fruit bowl that says リンゴ.
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But also, try to find a Japanese grocery store if you're living abroad. Look for the "Aomori" label. Compare a standard grocery store apple to a Japanese Fuji. The difference in texture is wild. The Japanese one will be denser. It won't have that mealy, soft texture that ruins so many Red Delicious apples in the States.
Next steps for your Japanese journey
- Practice the pitch accent. In "ringo," the pitch usually starts low on "ri" and goes high on "ngo." It’s subtle, but it makes you sound more like a local.
- Learn the counters. Don't stop at "hitotsu." Learn "futatsu" (two) and "mittsu" (three).
- Try the juice. Aomori apple juice is often sold in cans or glass bottles. It’s 100% juice, no added sugar, and it’ll ruin regular apple juice for you forever.
- Explore other fruits. Once you've mastered "ringo," move on to "mikan" (mandarin orange) and "nashi" (Japanese pear).
The word is simple, but the culture behind it is deep. Whether you're saying it to a vendor in Kyoto or just trying to pass a vocab test, remember that in Japan, the apple is the gold standard of fruit. It’s respected. It’s pampered. And now, you know exactly how to ask for one.