(OKAYAMA, JAPAN) - First there was the cocktail avocado from Spain, which had an edible skin. Now, meet the Mongee (pronounced "mon-gay") banana from Japan, whose skin is also edible.

Yes, you read that right: You can eat the skin of this particular banana.

The Mongee Banana is grown by D&T Farm in Japan's Okayama Prefecture. It is so rare that only 10 bananas a week go on sale at the fruit corner of department store Tenmanya Okayama.

Each banana costs ‎¥648 (S$7.67), which is not as eye-wateringly expensive as you might have expected. Keep in mind the Japanese are people who happily paid $6,728 for a bunch of Roman Ruby grapes and $19,526 for a Yubari melon. So $7.67 for one banana is practically bargain basement level in that scale.

According to a report on website SoraNews24, the bananas are grown using a "freeze thaw awakening" method which allows the tropical fruit to be grown in Japan's cooler climate.

The first successful crop was grown in November.

The report also said that Mongee bananas are also notable for being sweeter than the tropical variety as it contains 24.8g of sugar, compared to 18.3g average of regular bananas. The fruit is also stickier, and has a stronger smell than regular bananas.

Given its unusual nature, this probably explains why this wondrous fruit was named Mongee, which SoraNews24 explained is Okayama slang for "incredible".

The SoraNews24 report also gave a thumbs up to the fruit after a taste test, noting that while the skin was edible, it did not have much flavour.

Anyone heading to Japan this holiday season want to try this marvellous fruit and tell us how it tastes?