An omen based on a real event or a figure of speech? Did a persimmon really fall into the shogun’s hand or is he referring to a major strategic advantage that has come unexpectedly his way? In any event, the swollen golden fruit of the Japanese persimmon, redolent with scent and sweetness is a rich prize indeed.
Japanese persimmons taste best when they have been allowed to rest and soften for a few days after harvest. A ripe fruit will smell fragrant. The delicious, soft, jelly-like consistency is then best eaten with a spoon. Unripe fruits are astringent and bitter.
The Japanese Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) in the Japanese Garden (Shoyoen) of the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden has a special significance. Dubbo’s Japanese Sister City, Minokamo is famous for its dried persimmons (Dojou-Hachiyagaki). They were offered as gifts to the imperial court during the Heian period and are now an internationally famous local specialty.
Making a traditional Dojou-Hachiyagaki requires considerable patience. It is a labour intensive process that can take several weeks. First the fruit is harvested and peeled. A small piece of peel is left on the bottom of the fruit to stop the sugary syrup dripping out. The fruit is then hung on a string until it develops a skin. During autumn the thousands of golden drying persimmons hanging in the breeze are a spectacular sight in Minokamo.
Once the drying fruit has developed a skin, it is massaged every 3 to 5 days for several weeks to break up the hard inner pulp. Eventually the sugars will come to the surface of the fruit giving it a white bloom.
The persimmons on the tree in Shoyoen are still green but they will soon swell into beautiful, golden fruit.
by Ian McAlister and Karen Hagan