Three varieties of Japanese pears

In Japan, there are several varieties of pears cultivated in different regions. Yesterday I bought three of them as they sold at lower prices than usual. Some Japanese fruits like apples and pears are bigger and more expensive than European ones. I think it more practical to sell smaller fruits at more reasonable prices so that more people can afford to buy them. Anyway, I could get good pears that looked delicious. They are Hosui (豊水) from Tokushima Prefecture, Kosui (幸水) from Nagano Prefecture, and Nijyusseiki (二十世紀) from Tottori Prefecture (from left to right).

The names Hosui and Kosui sound very juicy and delicious as Hosui means “much water” and Kosui “good luck water.” Since I was thirsty, I ate Hosui first.

As I peeled this pear I noticed that I could move the knife very smoothly under the skin compared with the case of an apple or other kinds of pears. As the name implies, it was juicy, but I was more impressed by its softness. It reminded me of a Western pear. It was sweet and a little bit sour.

Next, I tasted Kosui. I found it very juicy and delicious. It was crisp, had fresh sweetness, and wasn’t sour at all. I ate it during the lunch break after walking outside for a while and sweating. I thought it extremely good partly because of this.

The last one is Nijyusseiki, which means the 20th century. I wondered why it has such a strange name. According to some websites, this kind of pears was first discovered in 1888. In 1904, it was named Nijyusseiki so that it would become a representative variety of Japanese pears in the 20th century. At the same time, it was introduced to Tottori Prefecture and became their specialty.

Nijyusseiki was also juicy and had fresh sweetness. Unlike Kosui, it had also some sourness. It was crisp, and the texture felt rougher compared with Hosui and Kosui. I’m not sure but it may be because it was an old variety. I thought this roughness was typical for Japanese pears I had got used to eating since I was little. It felt very familiar.

In addition to these, there seems to be many other varieties of Japanese pears. Some of them are available in late autumn. I like to eat both pears and persimmons in the same season.