Hoshigaki
The Japanese hand-dried persimmon, also known as Hoshigaki, is a traditional Asian high-quality dried fruit product. Japanese immigrants brought the Oriental persimmon and the traditional drying technique to California in the late 1800s, but today only a handful of artisans in California, most of whom reside in Placer County, still practice the drying method. Producers peel each persimmon by hand, hang the fruits in the sun and periodically massage the fruit by hand for several weeks to ensure even drying. Because the drying technique is time and labor intensive, both the product and traditional processing method have become endangered not only in California but the world.
Hoshigaki has a long history in Placer County and is intimately associated with Japanese immigrants, their culture and values. Because the drying process is deeply influenced by Japanese values of hard work, perfection and dedication, the resulting product is distinct from dehydrated and oven-dried products.
