Always wanted to be a farmer or own your very own tree that bears fruit? Now you may be able to adopt a Yuzu tree in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture and get your fruits delivered to you during the season, if you live or migrate to Japan that is!
The Katsuragi Yuzu hails from Moroyama Town and it is the oldest yuzu-producing area in Japan. Its cultivation history goes back to the Edo period (1603 to 1868) with a centuries-long tradition of cultivating yuzu.
Today, the town is actively involved in the production of regional specialities such as yuzu noodles, wine made with 100% Moroyama yuzu, jams, juices and sweets.
Distinguished by its large size, thick flesh and craggy skin, the Katsuragi Yuzu is a great source of citric, tartaric and malic acids. The rind contains an abundance of vitamin C, which helps improve the suppleness of skin and fight coldness while the juice also contains potassium and calcium.
Every year, the Yuzu Tree Owners’ Scheme allows people to apply to one of the farmers of the Katsuragi Yuzu Owners’ Association and become the owner of a yuzu tree. The farmer will take care of the pruning of the tree, and he will harvest the fruit on your behalf when the time is ripe. Check out the website here for more information (do note that it is in Japanese!) or purchase some Saitama Agricultural products to support the local businesses in Japan as well!
Another Saitama Prefecture speciality is a very large pear called the Atago, an ultra-rare fruit with exceptional taste. Weighing about 800g to over 1kg on average, the fruits are harvested during November and is known for being crunchy and very juicy.
Did you know that the Guinness World Record for the weight of a pear is 2948g? However, there are Atago pears that weigh over 3kg in Japan! Furthermore, only a few farmers in Saitama Prefecture can grow the pears due to the specialised knowledge required.
With a perfect sweetness and soft acidity, the Atago is best left at room temperature for two or three days before being wrapped in aluminium foil and chilled in the fridge to enrich its sweetness.
Want a taste of these fruits before you commit to being a tree owner in Japan? A special showcase of the Atago and Katsuragi Yuzu will be available for sale via Singapore Home Cooks Facebook Group on 6 December 2021 at 8.00pm along with a variety of other Japanese produce so save the date and tune in soon!
For more information you can check out the Saitama Prefecture’s website or Instagram for the latest updates.
–
