Available on the market with appellations ranging from “Japanese persimmon” to simply “persimmon,” it can be consumed both fresh and dry, much like figs. This is essentially the case in Asia, where the persimmon is often found in dry form.

The dried variety we are dealing with in the case of this product is a particularly popular Japanese cultivar called Ichidakaki, which is grown in the central and southern parts of the Japanese Alps in the centre of the island of Honshu, on both sides of the Tenryu River. These fruits have been cultivated for over 500 years and owe their richness of taste and texture to an exceptional environment.
They are dried from late autumn to early winter, enduring the very cold morning temperatures and the dampness of the fumes generated by the nearby river.

The product thus treated retains a very particular chewiness and an exceptional sweetness that makes it very popular in Japan and which was also very much appreciated by the Monde Sélection jury, who took a particular liking to it. Covered in a curious-looking whitish veil that is in fact a completely natural result of the drying process, the Ichidakaki fully manifests all its flavour and texture qualities when tasted.

As one member of the jury noted: “Good taste, nice dried fruit texture though without excessive dryness, nice balance of sweetness, nicely presented… A magnificent product…”

An abundance of qualities that have led this rare and delicate product to win the Grand Gold Award!

“Each year, one product per category is awarded the Prize of the Jury as a token of excellence in know-how and quality. In order to qualify, the product must be unanimously selected as a “coup de cœur” by the jury members. The winner of the Prize of the Jury is then selected from a group of just 5 nominees, which makes this award an even greater honour for the recipient.”