Excuse, excuse … : How to make Kakishibu, and I have not tried it!

 

So, here is the process to make Kakishibu, and my EXCUSE not to make it by myself.

1. 

First we have to collect unripen fruits of bitter persimmon. Bitter persimmon? Yeah, it’s a variety of persimmons, but not suitable for fresh eating. It has an elongated shape and is hard to find these days in gardens of our suburban houses. As the variety contains more tannin, it is suitable for making persimmon tannin. To eat it, we have to dry it in cold wind for weeks from late autumn to early winter. The end product is REAAAAALY sweet treat for Christmas and New Year. It requires certain level of artisanal technique to produce this level of dried fruits, and hence not common for suburban houses. It comes normally USD 6-10 for a fruit. Reasonable price, I think.

<Reason 1 why I did not make persimmon tannin by myself> 

I don’t have a bitter persimmon tree.

Dried bitter persimmon.
Our family buys a couple of dozen
at the end of December from
a farmer in Yamanashi Prefecture
and freezes some
that are not consumed during the holiday season.
In this way, we can enjoy them in mid-summer.
Natural defrost is enough to eat.

2. 

Smash the gathered unripen bitter persimmon on the day you harvest them. Never wait for the next day as the tannin will be depleted rapidly as the fruits dried. Mash the smashed bits in a mortar, or strong food processor, for obtaining “paste.” If you find the bits too dry to make a paste, add a bit of H2O but never too much of it to avoid diluting tannin. At this stage the tannin juice from the fruit is VERY strong. So

2.1 For work, don’t forget to wear durable rubber gloves and apron or some overall clothing. The tannin stain cannot be removed once it’s on your clothing (; more to this point next week).

2.2 Never use iron utensils for the process. In yesteryears, people used wooden pestle and mortar. In the 21st century, food processors with ceramic or stainless blades would do the job. BUT please wash the tools thoroughly after use.

Sweet persimmon, early fall.
Yeah, it’s green, but does not contain that much tannin.

3. 

Move the mashed bitter persimmon from the pestle to a glass, ceramic, or enameled container. Never iron or metallic jar, please. Add H2O for the amount more than covering the mash. I mean, if H2O is just enough to cover the mash, it is too little to make Kakishibu. On the other hand, if the water is more than enough, it will make Kakishibu too thin for use. “Just enough of H2O” is the key.

4.

Leave the container for 3-4 days in the shade. The mixture of mashed persimmon and water starts fermentation. Around 3rd or 4th day, it begins to smell like alcohol and turns the liquid color green. From this stage, leave 3-4 more days for further fermentation. Well, of course, the H2O will evaporate during the process, but we want to keep Kakishibu juice moist enough. So the amount of water in the Process 3.

5.

Strain the mixture to separate the mush and liquid. Add half the amount of H2O compared with the process #3, and leave it again for about a week. Meanwhile, preserve the first liquid in a non-reactive bottle.

6. 

Mix the second fermentation and the liquid from the first fermentation stored during the process #5. Leave the mixture in a non-reactive container for at least 2 YEARS. During the process the gas emitted from the reaction of tannin and O2. If you store the mixture in a, say, PET bottle, there is a high possibility for the bottle to be burst. Never use a container of tight sealing for Kakishibu fermentation. Also, the smell coming out from such chemical reaction is UGLY. Some of my senior forest instructors once tried the process and stored the fermenting container in their shed surrounded by ordinary suburbia. It became a HUGE neighborhood scandal. They had to deal with a difficult local “politics.” So,

<Reason 2 why I did not make persimmon tannin by myself>

I don’t have enough ample space to avoid such politics.

i.e. When we cook Kakishibu in a traditional way, the product must be smelly. Nowadays, professionals find ways to remove such odors. Store-bought version does not have a stink, and we enjoy usage of the liquid without turning our noses. There are several ways we, non-artisans can use it for our craft. Nex week, I tell you the way we Niiharu Lovers tried. We used Kakishibu for natural dyeing. It was fun!

One of the products Niiharu Lovers made
with Kakishibu dyeing

If you find a problem in the greenery of north-half of Yokohama, please make contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North
北部公園緑地事務所
Yokohama Municipal Government Green Environment Bureau
横浜市みどり創造局

Phone: 045-353-1166
FAX：045-352-3086
email: mk-hokubukoen@city.yokohama.lg.jp

Organic Waterproof Product: Kakishibu, aka persimmon tannin for Japanese life

Waterproof spray is “must-have” for me. Outdoor activity inevitably makes my garment soiled. I wash them every time I come home. But for next use, it is necessary to prepare for rain unexpected or not. Crossing streams along the trails requires garments with water repellant properly. A can for waterproof spray becomes light quickly for me. I am thankful for this 21st century product for making my life easier. How did our ancestors cope with the problem of wet garment and soiled clothing? They did not have waterproof spray for sure. But there was, and is, an organic substitute. Have you ever heard “Kakishibu 柿渋”, aka persimmon tannin?

The current spray I’m using
for waterproof treatment.
The can is very light …

Before fluororesin, silicone resin, and plastics, Japanese used organically processed persimmon tannin for waterproof, bug repellent, and preservative to almost everything. It was used for walling during construction. For UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan, usage of Kakishibu for materials is ubiquitous. For making tools for fishing, the final coating with Kakishibu was (and is, for luxury brand these days) the MUST. When applied to the surface of traditional Japanese paper, it can make the paper suitable even for raincoats and umbrellas. To make (high-end) Japanese lacquerware, persimmon tannin is essential as the base. Japanese samurais used it for make their garments durable enough in battlefield for more than a millennium. There is an old book, written in 918 called “Honzo-Wamyo 本草和名,” for herbal medicine in Japan, which discusses the utility of Kakishibu.

An ancient raincoat I found in a museum
for Lake Tanzawa Commemorative Center.
In this mountainous area,
villagers of yesteryears used this straw-raincoat
 made of straws and coated the surface with
persimmon tannin to make waterproof stronger.

In the 21st century, scientists are still researching the power of the product and thinking about the usage of it for our daily life. Persimmon tannin soap would be the most familiar product we can find these days in drug stores. Its cleaning power is strong enough to wash over that “particular smell” of teenage boys and middle/senior aged gents. Warning: heavy usage of it for ladies is not recommended. My senior citizen mom was a heavy user of Kakishibu soap. She was scolded by her doc when she was treated for eczema. The magic of the product is from its potential for sterilization. Traditionally, several communities used cloth treated with persimmon tannin to sieve water from wells and streams and to procure potable water. There is a published paper reporting deactivation of norovirus using persimmon tannin. Several researchers even search for methodologies to prevent spread of COVID-19 by Kakishibu. Persimmon tannin is a powerful staff. In more “peaceful” modern usage, persimmon tannin is very important to make Japanese SAKE clear. It can remain a fresh brew without distillation although it is basically fermented rice porridge. Persimmon tannin is VERY important for Japanese culture.

Kakishibu Soap.
Really popular cosmetics,
especially among males in Japan.

Tannin itself is a material for tanning leather but cannot act as waterproof. On the other hand, persimmon tannin cannot permeate rawhide and so cannot tan skin but has the power of water repellent. Why do they differ? In the process of making persimmon tannin, sugar of persimmon is fermented and becomes stable. When the persimmon tannin meets moisture, the sugar absorbs H2O in the air and solidifies it, i.e. goods coated with Kakishibu are waterproofed. That’s why persimmon tannin was used widely in this very humid Japanese archipelago. How to make Kakishibu? It does not require rocket science but asks patience for ‘cooking’ it. Next week, I tell you how to cook it. I have not done it by myself, but the product is available from internet (for example from here). The reasons why I did not make it will be clear next week. (It’s not an excuse!.) Please stay tuned for next week. 😉

The store-bought Kakishibu
Niiharu Lovers use

If you find a problem in the greenery of north-half of Yokohama, please make contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North
北部公園緑地事務所

Yokohama Municipal Government Green Environment Bureau
横浜市みどり創造局

Phone: 045-353-1166
FAX：045-352-3086
email: mk-hokubukoen@city.yokohama.lg.jp

Will they flower this autumn？ Niiharu’s north facing slope of lilies 新治市民の森

 

Several years ago, the head of Nagaike Park of Hacioji City 長池公園, Mr. Hideshige Uchino, visited Niiharu Citizen Forest. He said the slope where Golden-rayed Lily blooms every July (; my post for July 28, 2024) was a precious place. Niiharu Forest locates at the edge of Tama Hills 多摩丘陵 which is basically a typical suburbia of Tokyo. The hills are covered by housing and business buildings with sporadic remnants of yester-centuries’ forests and farm fields. The slope of lilies in Niiharu is facing north and probably the underground water level is relatively high. Observing the vegetation, plants loving somewhat cooler conditions thrive there. Mr. Uchino said “Such environment is now rare in Tama Hills. Probably Niiharu’s slope is the only one left.” Hmmmmm … We have to protect it, you know. The place is covered by lilies, but they are not the only flowers showing off their beauty on the slope. Currently, flowers of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica is dominating the site, but if autumn comes as before, we will admire pale purple of wild Salvia japonica. If lucky, monkshood may return. And Japanese gentian should come in November … er, that is, if we can maintain the ground of the slope OK for these flowers.

Adenophora triphylla var. japonica

The thing is, Niiharu Forest is changing. I think we should use the term ‘evolving’ but I’m not sure whether the term is appropriate. Reason? Er … once the slope was a chestnut orchard. But in 2019, mega-typhoons came and destroyed old trees. The large and tall trees were down, and some poor trees were torn apart by strong winds. Until then Niiharu Lovers mowed the steep slope every August before chestnuts falling in order to collect autumn goodies easily. After the calamity, we did some mowing, but alas not much goodies from the tree. Besides, the chestnuts trees are really decaying. So, the serious mowing of the slope after flowering lilies is suspended. Then the City, the landlord, decided to redo the chestnut orchard with oak trees, and Lovers cleared the broken trees from the place. Aside from some afforestation by school kids this early summer the work for restoration of the forest is not yet started. The summer mowing is not done this summer.

Survived chestnut surrounded by grasses

It’s bad news for autumn flowers on the slope. Before, greedy Lovers mowed the place for chestnuts, which made the sun light reach to the ground and short seedlings of, say, Japanese gentian, could start vigorous photosysnthesis for blue flowering in late autumn. Yet, we still want to enjoy gentian at the beginning of winter. What to do? We Lovers chose to mow a small plot around the seedlings of such autumn flowers this summer. We pushed through tall sasa bamboos and Japanese bracken fern both of which dominate the slope, found seedlings of flowers, then cut these tall and ubiquitous grasses around the seedling, hoping it would help the babies to become beau in 2-3 months’ time. It is a delicate task, just like finding bugs in programming code … By the way, my PC Topy5 turned out to have magnetic head failure. It now really is “hospitalized” and undergoing a “surgical operation.” *sigh*

A sort of maze …

In a deadly hot August summer of 35°C temperature, the small plot mowing with concentration continued on the slope. After cutting covering vegetation, I found the soil around the seedlings is really dry. Not much rain has come this summer. Even if it comes, the tall grass prevented the rainwater reaching the ground. When the duration of rain is short, the water retained on the surface of dominating grass leaves evaporates quickly. I was alarmed.

Desiccated ground

One of my Forest Instructor pals has a day job for Kanagawa Water Supply Authority. He normally sits in front of the control panel for water distribution procured from Sagami 相模川 and Sakawa 酒匂川 Rivers. The Authority is in charge of management of Miho 三保ダム, Sagami 相模ダム, and Shiroyama 城山ダム Dams (; my posts for April 19 and 26, 2019) and operation for intake weirs from the two rivers. He knows the current condition of water supply in Kanagawa Prefecture. He said “Well, we don’t see any abnormality this year. Currently, all dams have more than 85% of water capacity. We soon will begin annual discharge from dams to prepare torrential rain of typhoons for Autumn.” I asked him if there is any special request from farmers for water supply. His reply was “Nah.”

His assessment may be correct for water source
 … this one is Yadoriki Stream … REALLY?

… He may have engaged in some PR stunt. But we at least haven’t heard any request for water saving from the authorities. On the other hand, also in a different occasion, personnel from JA Yokohama said this summer farmers in Yokohama are having hard time to irrigate their field. “You know, in such summer, casual watering does not seep into the ground. We have to hose down for hours to save our crops. It surely impacts the bottom line of the ag business.” Hmmmmmmm … I heard schools had difficult times moistening their lawn ground during summer vacations. Parents and teachers volunteered to tackle the task, but the baking sunshine of long day smirked human activity. Their lawn is brown. Meanwhile bitter melons of my garden do not get big. It needs more water. Weather forecasters predicted the record-breaking high temperature this week, already in September. Who said climate change is an imaginary thing?

Umeda River along Niiharu Forest.
Local farmers withdraw H2O from here, but …

I’m not sure if it is OK for rice paddies
dry this much in Yokohama’s August.

Niiharu’s pond is dried up.

If you find a problem in the greenery of north-half of Yokohama, please make contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North
北部公園緑地事務所
Yokohama Municipal Government Green Environment Bureau
横浜市みどり創造局

Phone: 045-353-1166

FAX：045-352-3086
email: mk-hokubukoen@city.yokohama.lg.jp

… Death Sentence? My PC is hospitalized

 

Hello, how are you?

Me? … My PC is in the end “hospitalized.”

The person at the desk told me, “We look after your machine for … say, 3-4 weeks, depending on the seriousness in data retrieval. I’m afraid we cannot guarantee 100% sure result. If it is OK for your with this condition, could you please sign here, and your address, (Blah, Blah, Blah …)”

After leaving my Topy 5 (I’m calling my machine of each generation in this way; the current one is of the 5th generation), I felt I was hearing the possibility of death sentence. My graphics data, accumulated for some time and became more than 2TB, could be gone … On my way home, I kept crossing my fingers in honest …

The only thing I can do now is Starting New.

Lemonade: From now on, I never leave my data without backup.

A broken shell of an egg for Zitting Cisticola,
found near the flood plain of Yadoriki Stream.

According to Prof. Keisuke Ueda, the Chairman for the Wild Bird Society of Japan, Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis, has 1:1 population ratio of its gender, but they construct harem, er nay, “free love” with 10-11 partners. They mate casually whichever individual of opposite sex they meet, and aim for increasing the probability of procreation. Lessons learned: Save data in many places to play it safe. Birds are clever.

It’s still deadly hot and humid in Yokohama. I hope you’re fine in you place.

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/

Emergency ctd.

Hi,

Naomi's here.

Still struggling to retrieve data, including my photos and drafts for this series.

One important lesson:

NEVER LEAVE YOUR TELABITES DATA W/O BACKUP.

Pls keep crossing your fingers for me.

Regards,

Naomi 😭

Emergency: Naomi‘s PC is down

Hi,

My PC's down and I'm recovering my files for days now.

Can't write my post.

I skip this week's story for my adventure.

Life is full of surprises

...

VERY dry: drought?

 

Since this spring we’re watching the price of rice souring. You see? Before, Japanese paid taxes by rice. Commoners did not have enough money and time to enjoy tempuras, stewed veggies, etc, and so made do only with steamed rice for daily meal. Harvesting new rice was fundamentally important for Japanese psyche. Expensive rice has been serious political issues always. Several political powers collapsed because of expensive rice. Upper House election last month had big issues about rice. We’re serious for rice. Simple economics says when a price of good is going up it is a sign of scarcity. Last autumn, the government said we had plenty of rice. This summer, the doubt for statistics for tonnage of rice harvest came everybody’s mind. Was the government incorrect?

Wow. Expensive for every meal use …

This is what the Government released
 from their emergency warehouse.
 They were harvested some 4 years ago,
and have this price tag now.
 Have you noticed people are purchasing it,
according to the stockpile
 compared with the above photo?

One of the senior members of Niiharu Lovers Association was born in a Rice Bowl place and received regular gift of rice from her sister who married a rice farmer in her hometown. She was thankful she did not have to visit supermarket for rice since she moved into Yokohama decades ago. Alas no more. She said, “My sister said everybody visited her field for rice so often. Her business monetized all the stock. They now have enough rice only for her family. She does not have rice for me. I visited the supermarket, and astonished with their price tag!” Even in Yokohama, landlords of (tiny) fallow lands have returned planting rice to harvest any this fall. We had a sort of “hope” when new harvest season comes this month, we will have some breathing space for our meal …

The rice paddies here was a fallow land until recently.

Then, we’re having extremely harsh summer with very short monsoon season. We are hearing the news from Rice Bowl area their rice paddies are drying up. I recalled last winter people for the townhall of Hadano City was worried about small snow caps in Tanzawa Mountains and low water levels for rivers running there. Even the ground for my Mom’s garden is drying. We’re busy sprinkling ... Small rivers in Yokohama have very thin streams now, and its banks are covered by weeds for dry land. The vegetation will soon collapse under the scorching sun if no enough rain falls. Typhoons do not give enough … Global warming?

The small stream is almost swallowed
by weeds …

Do you think this point received
enough rainwater from a typhoon
 some 3 hours ago?

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with 

Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657

Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/