Square watermelon are common in Japan. The melons are grown in boxes and assume the shape of the container. They tend to appeal to wealthy or fashionable consumers because in 2001 they cost anywhere from two to three times a normal watermelon.

Although square melons were originally created with practicality in mind, the cost now is prohibitive. The cube shape of the watermelon can only be achieved at the expense of its contents. To retain the proper shape, square melons must be harvested before they are ripe, rendering them inedible.