For this week’s post, I’d like to share a special experience I had last week, one that I had been quietly looking forward to since autumn began.
Last week, I had the chance to harvest persimmons directly from an orchard here in Gifu. It was actually the very end of the persimmon season. A friend of my sensei, who owns a persimmon farm, wanted to finish harvesting all the remaining fruits, and I was lucky enough to be invited to help.
For someone living in Gifu, seeing persimmons from October to December is completely normal. You see them hanging on trees along the road, in gardens, and in the countryside. But this time was different. Instead of just seeing them, I could pick the persimmons myself, straight from the trees.
Standing in the orchard, reaching for the bright orange fruits, felt surprisingly meaningful. It was an experience I had been hoping for, especially as someone studying postharvest and fruit quality. Holding the fruit in my hands right after harvesting gave me a different perspective compared to seeing them in stores or markets.
I ended up bringing home a lot of persimmons. So many that I couldn’t possibly keep them all to myself. I shared them with my lab mates and also with some Indonesian friends. It felt nice to pass along not just the fruit, but also a small part of that experience.
I’ll attach a few photos from the harvest.
This was definitely one of those simple but unforgettable moments that make living in Gifu feel very special to me.
Thanks for reading, and I’m looking forward to everyone’s posts this week!
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Well known "pickings" are strawberry picking, Orange picking, grape picking, apple picking, pear picking...but I never heard persimmon picking. I do not know why. But well, at my father's born house, persimmon trees were planted, and my father was so good at climbing and picking.
返信削除You’re right, persimmon picking is not as widely known as strawberry or apple picking. I think that’s why this experience felt even more special to me.
削除It’s lovely to hear about your father’s childhood home with persimmon trees.
I've hardly ever eaten persimmons... Is there a way to tell which ones are delicious?
返信削除Persimmons can be a little tricky if you haven’t eaten them much. Usually, the bright orange ones are ripe, and for some types (like astringent ‘Hachiya’), they should feel very soft before eating. Non-astringent types (like ‘Fuyu’) can be eaten while still firm, and they taste sweet and crisp.
返信削除It also depends on your preference, some people enjoy them soft and melting, while others like them firm and crunchy.