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Kosui Pear (Chiba)

幸水 千葉県産

■ About Kosui Kosui is the early-season Japanese pear (nashi) that defines summer in Japan. Registered as a variety in 1959, it has been the most widely grown Japanese pear for over half a century. The fruit is round and gently shaped, with a bright yellow-brown skin. ■ Taste and texture What sets Kosui apart is its sheer juiciness. A single bite releases a flood of juice along with a light, crisp, granular texture. Sugar content is around 12-13 degrees Brix, and acidity is very low, so the sweetness comes through cleanly and elegantly. The flesh is fine-grained and tender, sweet right up to the skin. Unlike a European pear, it is not soft and buttery — it is refreshing and crisp. ■ About Chiba Prefecture Chiba is one of Japan's foremost producers of Japanese pears, centred on the cities of Shiroi, Ichikawa and Kamagaya. Well-drained Kanto loam soil and abundant summer sunshine produce fruit with high sugar content. Each pear is bagged individually and the crop is thinned so that nutrients concentrate into fewer, larger fruit. Growers harvest only when they judge the fruit to be at its peak, and pears picked in the morning are graded the same day. ■ Specification Approximately 5 kg per case, 12-14 pieces (roughly 350-420 g each). The count varies with harvest timing and season. ■ Season Early August to early September, at its best in mid-August. As an early variety the window is short — roughly one month per year. ■ Storage Keep refrigerated at 3-8 degrees C. Drying dulls the texture, so wrap each fruit in paper or a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable compartment. Best enjoyed within about one week of arrival. ■ How to enjoy Chill for 2-3 hours before serving, peel and cut into vertical wedges — the outer flesh is sweeter than the core, so vertical wedges give an even sweetness. Also excellent in salads, with prosciutto, or grated as a tenderiser for meat dishes. ■ Please note Japanese pears do not ripen further after harvest, unlike European pears. They arrive ready to eat, so please enjoy them promptly. The small brown dots on the skin are lenticels, a natural characteristic of the variety, not a defect. ■ Perfect for Summer greetings, corporate gifts and seasonal hampers. Ready to serve straight from the refrigerator, it also suits hospitality use.

❄️ 3-8°C ・ 🕐 ~1 week ・ 📅 Aug–Sep

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Hosui Pear (Chiba)

豊水 千葉県産

■ About Hosui Hosui is a leading Japanese pear (nashi) variety that comes into season from late August, taking over from Kosui. Registered in 1972, Hosui and Kosui together are regarded as Japan's two principal pear varieties. As its name suggests (hosui means abundant water), it is exceptionally juicy, and the fruit grows noticeably larger than Kosui. The skin is a reddish brown and the fruit has a satisfying heft. ■ Taste and texture Sugar content is around 13 degrees Brix, higher than Kosui. What makes Hosui distinctive is the depth that comes from pairing that sweetness with a gentle acidity — the flavour is rich and full rather than simply sweet. The flesh is tender and fine-grained, releasing an abundance of juice. Where Kosui is clean and refreshing, Hosui is rich and full-bodied. ■ Hosui compared with Kosui - Season: Kosui runs early August to early September; Hosui late August to mid September - Flavour: Kosui is cleanly sweet; Hosui is richly sweet with a touch of acidity - Size: Hosui is larger, roughly 350-450 g per fruit Carrying both varieties allows you to offer Japanese pears continuously from early August through mid September. ■ About Chiba Prefecture Chiba is one of Japan's foremost producers of Japanese pears, centred on the cities of Shiroi, Ichikawa and Kamagaya. Well-drained Kanto loam soil and abundant summer sunshine produce fruit with high sugar content. Each pear is bagged individually and the crop is thinned so that nutrients concentrate into fewer, larger fruit. Growers harvest only when they judge the fruit to be at its peak, and pears picked in the morning are graded the same day. ■ Specification Approximately 5 kg per case, 12-14 pieces (roughly 350-450 g each). The count varies with harvest timing and season. ■ Season Late August to mid September, at its best in early September. ■ Storage Keep refrigerated at 3-8 degrees C. Drying dulls the texture, so wrap each fruit in paper or a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable compartment. Best enjoyed within about one week of arrival. ■ How to enjoy Chill for 2-3 hours before serving, peel and cut into vertical wedges — the outer flesh is sweeter than the core, so vertical wedges give an even sweetness. Its rich juice also makes it well suited to compotes and smoothies. ■ Please note Japanese pears do not ripen further after harvest, unlike European pears. They arrive ready to eat, so please enjoy them promptly. The small brown dots on the skin are lenticels, a natural characteristic of the variety, not a defect. ■ Perfect for Summer and early-autumn greetings, corporate gifts and seasonal hampers. Its generous size makes it particularly well received as a gift.

❄️ 3-8°C ・ 🕐 ~1 week ・ 📅 Aug–Sep

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