Autumn has come and we can see many kinds of fruits in stores and shops.
A Japanese proverb says when persimmon fruits become ripe, doctors become pale. It is because persimmons are rich in vitamin c, which prevents us from getting cold and other illnesses.
As autumn fruits, besides persimmon, we have apples, Japanese pears, grapes, figs, tangerine oranges and so on.
In my opinion, the Japanese has a sweet tooth in general.
We add sugar to various dishes, such as sukiyaki, dashi-soup (broth), omelette (of eastern Japan), boiled beans, boiled potatoes, and so on.
And vegetables and fruits in Japan have been improved genetically to become sweeter.
Japanese apples used to be sourer and smaller, however, sweeter and larger ones have been preferred and sold well.
Over time, Japanese fruits have become larger, sweeter and more artistic.
Sometimes I miss sour apples. Whenever I go to western countries, I get some apples to make preserves or cakes. Western apples are more suitable for cooking.
I have once witnessed that Asian tourists to Japan bought large amount of luxury fruits at a department store. Those fruits were for gift. They would have bought them for their grandparents or senior relatives.
Now, we have few tourists and economies are recessed, where do those expensive fruits go?
After the pandemic subsides, how would you like to come Japan and try some?
