Fruit, and things related thereto

With autumn in full swing here in Japan, yet another special season is gearing up, which I am thrilled to be a part of. The autumn shrine festivals here in Osaka, with their massive and ornate danjiri carts, are beginning to wrap up, but something even better is already here. It’s something that brings me quiet joy through the long winter months and brightens each dreary day. That’s right: it’s mikan season.

For those of you have have not yet had the opportunity to engage in such a sublime indulgence, allow me to explain. Mikan (scientifically speaking, Citrus unshiu, sometimes called “Satsuma” in English) is a variety of orange-like fruit that originated in China way back, and is beloved today in Japan. Of course, it goes without saying that it is dear to my heart as well. It looks, on the surface, a lot like a Mandarin orange or tangerine – all citrus plants are genetically malleable enough to be considered basically one big species, so I guess technically it is – but the mikan is infinitely superior. For one thing, mikan are super-easy to peel. The skin is soft and can be removed with bare hands, which is a great relief for anyone who’s ever struggled with an orange in one hand and a knife in the other (read: me). Also, they are much sweeter. Oranges are all well and good, but when you’ve got a mikan at peak ripeness, there’s no contest. If bliss were a color, it would be orange.

The other thing about mikan that suits me just fine is how prodigious amounts always seem to end up in my possession. They’re already relatively inexpensive compared to most other fruit in Japan due to their sheer abundance, but half the time they just fall into my lap without me having to do anything. I cannot overstate this enough: some days, it seems like I just happen to run into someone I know, and before I even know what has happened, I’ve had an entire bag of them pushed into my arms for no reason other than that my friend has “too many” and I just happened by. In fact, I’m starting to suspect that Japanese people have their own private mikan groves hidden away somewhere (don’t ask me where), specifically for the purpose of unloading them on unsuspecting foreigners. If I were a paranoid man, I might even come to suspect that they were doing this just to supply me with a steady store of mikan throughout the winter months (after all, fruit is by no means cheap here). But can you really be considered crazy if your delusion is that everyone’s conspiring to give you things?

At any rate, my infatuation with mikan is the reason I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to visit a real mikan orchard this past weekend, and even pick some for myself. From firsthand experience, I can tell you that they’re even better straight off the tree, even if they were still a bit on the green side at this time of year. I might have to go back a bit later in the season when they’re fully ripe, just to experience the full flavor of a freshly picked mikan. As it is, there’s no possible way I could have my fill of the things, so I know I’ll be back there sooner or later. They’re just that good.

In other fruit news, it’s also persimmon season in Japan. I never really got to eat persimmons back in the US, so my first experience with them was after I came here. They’re actually quite nice, with a slightly pumpkin-y texture and a subtle flavor, but here’s the thing: they’re only good when they’re fully ripe. If you eat them before they’re ready, they’re horribly bitter. I learned this the hard way, and it is a lesson I will never forget. Nevertheless, as I’m biting in and secretly praying that I got a ripe one this time, it’s definitely a distinct experience with flavor. I’ll just keep a glass of water nearby – you know, just in case.

Lastly, I’ve noticed lately that it’s become increasingly hard to find bananas at the supermarket when I do my weekly shopping. At first, I chalked it up to seasonal unavailability (after all, imported fruit in the off-season is expensive), but then I remembered that all bananas in Japan are imported, so that couldn’t be it. The mystery was finally solved when I was watching a talk show, and they began a lengthy discussion on the new “banana diet” craze that’s apparently sweeping Japan right now. As near as I can tell, the idea is that the dieter has a banana – with water and nothing else – for breakfast, and eats whatever she wants for lunch and dinner. (And I say “she” because it’s being specifically marketed towards women here, along with every other diet.) While I obviously don’t doubt that bananas are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber for a balanced diet, I can also state with some conviction that it’s a load o’ hooey. For one thing, while eating better reduces your calorie and fat intake, you still need to burn the fat you’ve already accumulated. Furthermore, if you’re off the hook to eat “anything you want” for the other two meals, you’ll probably overdo it and end up gaining weight instead of losing.

But of course, it’s no use telling that to the people who fall for these diet fads hook, line, and sinker. For all of Japan’s technological wonders and medical breakthroughs, a lot of its people still tend to exhibit general ignorance about matters of health. Traditional Chinese remedies, often with no proven effectiveness, are sold alongside proper pharmaceuticals in drugstores, and fad diets like the banana one seem to renew themselves every couple of months, just as the previous one is going out of style. And then there’s the smoking, which I mentioned in an earlier column. On the other hand, I really shouldn’t be too surprised – the US can be the same way (for just one homeopathic placebo “cure” I’m sure you all know: “HeadOn! Apply directly to the trash bin!”). As an outsider here, it’s just that more obvious to me how ridiculous it can get. But I digress, as this is fast becoming more of a rant about how I can’t find any bananas at the store than anything else. Anyhow, I think that’s quite enough fruit for one sitting. Let’s talk about something else next time, shall we?