Rare Amano Persimmons Now at Peak in Shizuoka Pref.; Fruit Has Been Cultivated in District for 100 Years

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:38 JST, December 13, 2024

IZUNOKUNI, Shizuoka — The harvest of Amanogaki persimmons, called “rare persimmons” as they seldom appear on the market, was at its peak in Izunokuni, Shizuoka Prefecture, in late November.

Amanogaki is the generic name for persimmons that have been grown in the Amano district of the city for about 100 years. The most common varieties of Amanogaki are “fuyugaki” and “jirogaki.”

A great deal of time and effort is put into pruning the persimmon trees and thinning the fruit, which is not harvested until it is fully ripe.

Because of this, they contain higher sugar levels than a melon and grow to about the size of an apple. Currently, only about a dozen farms produce them, and most are sold to repeat customers who reserve them in advance.

In 34-year-old Masaki Kano’s field in Amano, bright orange persimmons ripen on about 80 trees.

A persimmon-picking event was held on Nov. 23 for guests staying at the Izu Nagaoka Onsen hot spring resort. Though the persimmons gained their color a week or two later than usual, they are growing to be very sweet, Kano said.