TOKYO , Japan ( CNN ) -- There 's nothing better than a sweet , juicy watermelon on a hot summer 's day , right ? But what if you had to pay six grand for it ? A marine products dealer in Japan plunked down a record $ 6,125 ( ¥650,000 ) Friday for a black Densuke watermelon -- grown only on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido . Premium melons regularly go for eye-popping amounts there . Only three years ago , someone shelled out about $ 3,000 for one . The one that sold Friday had dark green skin -- nearly black -- making it look more like a bowling ball than a fruit . The nearly 18-pound ( 8 kg ) watermelon was one of 68 sold as part of the season 's initial harvest this year and is one of only a few thousand available each year . As for the buyer , he said he wanted to support local agriculture , according to an official with a local cooperative .
Black Densuke watermelon in Japan sells for a record $ 6,125 . Nearly 18-pound melon is grown only on the northern Japanese island of Japan . Buyer is only a few thousand of one that is made available each year . Buyer says he wants to support local agriculture , according to an official .