Otow Orchard is renowned for preserving the Japanese art of hoshigaki -- hoshi means dried and gaki is from kaki, the Japanese word for persimmon.

Our fresh persimmons are dried each fall in a slow, patient, hands-on process that usually takes three to six weeks...per persimmon. Each persimmon is hand-peeled, strung onto a rack, and massaged every 3 to 5 days for several weeks. Weather conditions are watched carefully. The result is a transformation into a sugary delicacy that is tender and moist with concentrated persimmon flavor.

Harvest season begins in October and the process is completed by January. Our hoshigaki can be purchased locally or shipped from our orchard.

To have our fresh and dried persimmons shipped to you, please complete and send our Mail Order Form (requires Adobe Reader).

Mike Dunne, Food Editor, Sacramento Bee, explains the process well in his article for The Sacramento Bee.