You may have heard this name only now or you may have heard about it many times in the past but did not bother to find out what it is. Persimmon is a fruit of Chinese origin that looks a lot like tomato and is a popular autumn and winter fruit.

 

Originally, it was cultivated in Japan and China for centuries. It is called shizi in Chinese and kaki in Japan .

Here in Japan , two varities of persimmon are available – the fuyugaki and jirogaki. The fuyugaki variety is the sweet and juicy one with soft flesh. They are in season from October to December.

Dried persimmons called hoshigaki are also available and can be bought at fruit shops. The shibugaki variety is best enjoyed in Japan in its dried form.