Persimmons of Wakayama in LA 　ロスで和歌山の柿

While basic necessity of Japanese cooking ingredients are accessible in many U.S. cities, Japanese local gourmets are hard to find. But this is California! The opportunities are much greater.

I had a chance to visit a Japanese supermarket in LA area the other day. As I meandered through the isles, I found a flag with big “Wakyama”. I grew up in Osaka, a neighboring prefecture just north of Wakayama prefecture. Although Osaka is the second largest city in Japan, my hometown is at the South East tip of Osaka, in the countryside surrounded by the mountains. Two tunnels away is already Wakayama.

I approached them and took a slice of persimmon samples. Clarks told me that this persimmon was grown in the field in Kudoyama, an area at the foot of Kōyasan (Mt Kōya) where the headquarter of one of the Buddhist sect is located. He told me this is a part of the Wakayama’s oversea export project and he goes around promoting their local delicacies at supermarket all over the world. Well, I consider Kudoyama local enough for my hometown, sharing the same train line “Nankai Kōya sen.” I must support!

Kudoyama, “九度山”ーNine times mountain — has Jison-in temple worked as a gateway to Kōyasan, built by a monk Kūkai (also known as Kōbō-Daishi) in the 8th century, who founded Shingon Buddhism based in Kōyasan. Because only males were allowed in Kōyasan at the time, his mother who wanted to see his son’s temple stayed in Jison-in temple. It is said that Kūkai came down from the mountain to see her at least nine times a month, hence the town’s name “Kudoyama” (though his visits may not have been exactly nine times a month, but as frequently as that). Jison-in temple is registered as UNESCO World Heritage and also famous for wishing safe child deliveries and cure for breast cancer.

I should also note that Kudoyama is very well known place associated with a samurai from the 16th century, Sanada Nobushige (known as Sanada Yukimura). He fought and influenced many of the history-changing battles of that time. In 2016, the NHK TV series about his life helped increase visitors into this small town.

I asked them to choose two persimmons for me. Seeing their customer so excited, speaking in the same local dialect as theirs, they gave me their persimmon mascot “Kaki tan” and kindly agreed to take pictures together!

I love these unexpected encounters when my home suddenly feels so close to my heart, especially when I don’t go back to Japan often. “Please spread the word!” they asked. So here I am, please try the best persimmons in Japan from Kudoyama!!

For more information:

on Wakayama: https://en.visitwakayama.jp
on Sanada Nobuyuki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanada_Yukimura

アメリカいにいると一般的な日本の食材は手に入ってもご当地モノに巡りあう機会はあまりありません。でもここはカリフォルニア。かなり頻繁に見かけます。

先日ロス近辺の日系スーパーに行く機会がありました。そこでの期間限定コーナー最終日。大きく和歌山の旗が発見！！私は大阪出身でも、かなり南の、山に囲まれた田舎で育ちました。トンネル二つ超えると和歌山県。早速アプローチ。

試食で柿のスライスを味見。聞くと、この柿は九度山という高野山の麓の畑で採れたそうで、和歌山県産物の海外輸出振興の一環で世界各国のスーパーを廻っているのだそう。もう応援するしかないじゃないですか！近くに住んでいないので、日持ちする真空パックの「ええ柿」を二つ選んで頂いて、持って帰ってきました。

九度山といえば、和歌山県北部に位置し空海が開いた真言宗の総本山である高野山の麓の町。当時高野山は女禁だったため、訪ねてきた空海の母の為に慈尊寺を九度山に建て、月に九度（実際九度という訳ではなく、それだけ頻繁にという意味らしいですが）山から下りてきたといいます。そして、九度山は去年の大河ドラマの主人公　真田「幸村」こと真田信繁のゆかりの地でもある歴史たっぷりの町。戦国時代真っ只中に大活躍し、歴史に多いに影響を与えたお侍さん。久しぶりに想いを馳せました。

「地元です！同じ南海高野線です！九度山知ってます！アメリカで和歌山の柿が食べれるなんて嬉しいです！」と久しぶりに大阪弁でミーハーに興奮していたら、「これもあげよ！」と売り子のおばさんに和歌山の柿マスコット「かきたん」を頂き、「写真撮ったげるわ！」と和歌山県の職員さんとも写真をパチリ（掲載許可を頂いております）

こういう出会いってホント楽しい。私は日本にあまり帰らないので特に嬉しく心に沁みる。「宣伝したってやー」ということで、宣伝します！日本一と言われている和歌山県九度山の柿を見かけたら是非お試しあれ！

和歌山の柿について：http://kaki-kudoyama.com/kaki/