Pear Day (Nashi no Hi)

What Is Pear Day?

Every year on July 4, Japan celebrates "Pear Day" (Nashi no Hi). The date comes from a play on numbers: "na" (7) and "shi" (4) sound like "nashi," the Japanese word for pear. The anniversary was established in 2004 by the "Tōgō Town Committee for Community Building That Cherishes the Twentieth Century Pear" (東郷町二十世紀梨を大切にする町づくり委員会) in Tōgō Town, Tottori Prefecture (now Yurihama Town), a production area for the Twentieth Century pear. The date falls shortly before early-ripening varieties begin shipping, making it a good occasion to promote one of Japan's signature fruits and build anticipation for the harvest.

The Long History of Pears in Japan

Pears have been part of Japanese life for a very long time.

• Eaten since the Yayoi period: Pears are believed to have been eaten in Japan since around the Yayoi period, and seeds have been found at sites such as the Toro ruins in Shizuoka Prefecture. Because none have been found at earlier sites, pears are thought to have been brought over from the Asian continent by people.
• Mentioned in the Nihon Shoki: Pears first appear in writing in the Nihon Shoki, which records that Empress Jitō encouraged the planting of pears, along with mulberry and chestnut trees, in 693.
• The chance discovery of the "Twentieth Century" pear: In 1888, a 13-year-old boy named Matsudo Kakunosuke found a seedling growing in the garbage pit of a relative's house in Ōhashi Village, Chiba Prefecture (now part of Matsudo City), and transplanted it. The variety was later widely grown in Tottori and became the prefecture's signature fruit.

The Name "Twentieth Century" and Tottori

The tree first bore fruit in 1898, and Kakunosuke called the pear "Shin-Taihaku." Later, Watase Torajirō, who had received seedlings from Kakunosuke and grown them himself, named it "Nijisseiki" (Twentieth Century), expressing the hope that it would become the leading variety of the coming century. Sources differ on whether the name was given in 1898 or in 1904.

• The original tree: The original tree in Matsudo was designated a national Natural Monument in 1935 but died in 1947; part of it is displayed at the Matsudo Museum.
• The Tottori connection: In the Kantō region where it was born, Kōsui and Hōsui are now the main varieties and the Twentieth Century is rarely grown, while Tottori ranks first in Japan in Twentieth Century pear production.
• Where Pear Day began: Yurihama Town, which includes the former Tōgō Town, is one of Tottori's main pear-growing areas.

Fun Facts About Pears

• The source of the crunch: The crisp, gritty texture of Japanese pears comes from "stone cells," cells with thickened walls.
• A word avoided for good luck: Because "nashi" (pear) sounds like "nashi" meaning "nothing," people sometimes call pears "ari no mi" ("the fruit that exists") instead.
• Japanese, Western, and Chinese pears: All belong to the genus Pyrus in the rose family, but they differ greatly in shape and texture — from the crisp Japanese pear to the soft, buttery Western pear such as La France.
• A meat tenderizer: Pears contain protein-digesting enzymes, and grated pear is said to make meat more tender when used in marinades such as yakiniku sauce.
• Full of water: Close to 90 percent of a pear is water, making it a refreshing fruit for the hot season.

Tips for Enjoying Pear Day

• Check the stores for the first pears of the season and enjoy your first one of the year
• Try using grated pear in a meat marinade or a salad dressing
• Compare varieties such as Kōsui, Hōsui, and Twentieth Century to taste the differences in sweetness and texture
• Visit a local orchard or farm stand and support pear growers

A Juicy Bite That Signals the Start of Summer

July 4 is a day to feel the beginning of pear season, which colors Japan's summer and autumn. Think of the long history of pears since the Yayoi period, and of the single seedling a Meiji-era boy found that grew into a major production area, as you slowly savor a chilled pear.