October 26 Is Persimmon Day in Japan: Kimamori, the One Fruit Left on the Tree, and How to Prune Kaki
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October 26 is Persimmon Day in Japan.
"Kaki kueba kane ga naru nari Horyuji" (I bite into a persimmon, and the bell of Horyuji rings) is a famous haiku by Masaoka Shiki from the Meiji era.
It is said that Shiki, who was then fighting tuberculosis, wrote this haiku on October 26, 1895, in Nara, on his way back to Tokyo.
Shiki left many haiku with the word persimmon in them and was famous for loving persimmons more than anyone. In honor of the day this famous haiku was written, the National Federation of Fruit Tree Research established Persimmon Day.
Persimmons are a nutritious fruit, rich in vitamin C, carotene and dietary fiber. Their color comes from pigments such as beta-cryptoxanthin and lycopene, members of the carotenoid family.
You may want to eat a lot of them, but too many can burden the stomach. One or two a day is said to be a good guide.
A good persimmon has a nicely shaped calyx, glossy skin with even, reddish color, and feels heavy for its size.
It is said to keep well in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. To slow ripening, it also helps to place the fruit calyx side down and put a damp tissue against the calyx.
The persimmon is a sturdy plant and an excellent home fruit tree. In the past, many Japanese homes had a persimmon tree in the garden. In recent years, partly because of limited space, there seem to be fewer of them, even in the countryside.
In our time, when the sight of a persimmon tree heavy with fruit has become rare, perhaps Shiki would feel a little lonely.
Leaving just one: kimamori
Sometimes, on a persimmon tree after the harvest, a single fruit is left hanging all alone. It was not forgotten. It was left on purpose, and it is called kimamori (also read kimori), the guardian of the tree.
There is a saying in many regions that if you take every fruit, the tree will not bear fruit next year. The same custom applies not only to persimmons but also to yuzu and other fruit trees. Kimamori is even a seasonal word for winter in haiku.
A wish for next year's harvest, thanks to the tree, and a share for the winter birds. Many feelings have been placed in a single fruit.
Over the winter, the birds come and peck away the fruit that was left.
Do not shorten the branch tips
Persimmon flower buds form on the last few nodes near the tip of each branch. In spring, new shoots grow from those buds, and the fruit forms on them.
So if you trim the tips of the grown branches evenly, you remove next year's flower buds all at once. You think you are tidying the shape, and the next year the tree bears no fruit at all. It is a common mistake.
When pruning a persimmon, do not cut the tips. Thin out whole branches at their base. Keep the good branches that you want to bear fruit, and remove crowded and inward-growing branches from the base. Prune from December to February, after the leaves have fallen.
Do not climb a persimmon tree
There is an old Japanese saying that if you fall from a persimmon tree, you will live only three more years.
It is meant to frighten, but the reason behind it is clear. Persimmon wood is hard, yet brittle, and the branches break easily, tearing apart at the forks. They are much weaker than they look.
The safest approach for a garden persimmon is to train it from the start to a height you can reach from a stepladder. While the tree is young, stop the central leader to keep the height steady. Spread it sideways instead of letting it grow upward. The fruit is easier to pick, and care becomes easier too.
If a persimmon tree has already grown large, do not force yourself to climb it. It is safer to look at the thickness and direction of each branch and lower the height step by step.
Persimmon at a glance
Persimmon (kaki): family Ebenaceae, genus Diospyros. Native to Japan, China, Korea and nearby regions.
Scientific name: Diospyros kaki. Japanese name: kakinoki.
A deciduous fruit tree that grows 2 to 5 meters tall, tough and tolerant of both heat and cold. Harvest from mid September to around November.
Frequently asked questions
I pruned last year, and this year there was no fruit.
Did you trim the branch tips evenly? Persimmon flower buds form at the branch tips, so cutting the tips removes the buds. When reducing branches, thin them at the base, not at the tips.
Can I pick every fruit?
You can, but there is an old custom called kimamori of leaving just one. It also becomes a treat for winter birds.
Can I climb a large persimmon tree?
We do not recommend it. Persimmon branches break easily and can tear at the forks. Work within reach of a stepladder, and for high branches, do not push yourself; ask a professional arborist.
