To receive such preferential treatment, the premium bananas had to reach over 23 centimeters in length, and weigh in at more than 200 grams. The bananas are known as Gokusen, a name that roughly translates as \highest quality selection.\ The first half of the name also acts as a pun that references both the number of bananas and the date they went on sale: \go\ and \ku\ are common readings for the numbers five and nine. Six dollars for a banana may sound like a hefty fee — Doles own promotional video notes the Gokusen bananas are \a little expensive\ — but the price is insignificant in comparison with some of Japans premium fruits.