…Hi, this is Tohoku Kiritan.

September started, and the morning air suddenly felt lighter.

When I walked out the school gate after classes ended, Zunko-neesama was waiting for me.

Zunko-neesama: “Kiritan, good work today. Want to go buy some pears?”

Kiritan: “…Only if you help me carry my things.”

Zunko-neesama: “Of course. I’ll carry half.”

Half, she said.

And so, we made a little trip out to Rifu in Miyagi Prefecture.

🍐 Rifu Pears Have a Longer History Than I Thought

They say pear cultivation in Rifu began around the 17th year of the Meiji era.

That’s about 150 years ago.

…That’s more than 13 times my age. When you put it in numbers, it really carries some weight.

As we moved through the town, little direct-sale stalls started popping up along the road.

Not just one, but here and there.

Apparently, there are also places where you can go pear picking. We didn’t have time after school this time, so we just bought some.

I hear they usually have a festival during the harvest season, so I think I’ll aim for that next year.

📅 The Varieties Pass the Baton Through Autumn

This is what surprised me first when I looked at the shelves at the stall.

The pear varieties on display change depending on the time of year.

In Rifu, they start with the early-season Kousui, and then it’s a relay to varieties like Choujuurou, Housui, Nijisseiki, Niitaka, and Akizuki.

The harvest runs from late August to early November, with the peak season being September and October.

Which means if you go now, you’ll see the shelves at their most lively.

The one that caught my eye was the Choujuurou.

It’s an old variety that isn’t grown much in other areas anymore, but I was told it has a lot of devoted fans here.

Kiritan: “…It’s old, but it’s still around.”

Zunko-neesama: “Newer isn’t always stronger. As long as there are people who love it, it will remain.”

…She just says things like that so casually.

👀 I Learned How to Pick a Winner

As I stood there with my arms crossed in front of the shelves, one of the staff at the stall took pity on me and gave me some tips.

Here are the three things they taught me:

• Look for one with a plump, solid bottom (the opposite side of the stem).
• Pick one that feels heavy for its size.
• The stem should be firm and not completely dried out.

“The heavy ones are proof that they’re full of juice,” they said.

Hearing that, I tried comparing them in my hands.

…It’s true. Even with pears of about the same size, there’s a clear difference.

It is the same when you pick out cork pellets at a festival shooting gallery: the weight changes how easily they hit. To be honest, I’m good at this kind of “hand-comparison” work.

In the end, we bought a box each of Kousui and Choujuurou.

The person who said she’d carry half took the lighter box and walked on ahead.

❄️ The Sweetest Part is Apparently Near the Skin

When we got home, the first thing I did was put them in the fridge.

They say you can taste the sweetness of a pear better if you eat it well-chilled.

Chilling it just a little while before you eat is perfect, and it’s best to eat it soon after cutting.

And one more important thing.

The sweetest part of a pear is right near the skin.

So, you should peel it thinly.

If you peel it too thick, you’ll be throwing away the tastiest part.

…I think that’s a pretty shocking fact.

🍡 The Taste-Tester Went Beyond His Job Description

As I was cutting them up, someone appeared out of nowhere.

Zundamon: “Kiritan! I smell something sweet, nanoda!”

Kiritan: “…I’m still in the middle of cutting it.”

Zundamon: “A taste test, nanoda! I’m the taste-tester, nanoda!”

Kiritan: “Just one slice.”

One slice.

That’s what I thought I said.

…When I looked again, half the plate was gone.

Kiritan: “…That’s more than a taste test.”

Zundamon: “It was so sweet, I had to confirm it multiple times, nanoda!”

Kiritan: “You confirmed too much.”

He showed no signs of remorse.

💚 Zunko-neesama’s Unfairly Delicious Dish

While we were wondering what to do with the rest, Zunko-neesama went into the kitchen.

She took one of the firmer pears, sliced it thin, simmered it with sugar and lemon, and made a chilled compote.

And then, she added a spoonful of zunda paste.

White and a pale green.

Just the look of it was cheating.

Zunko-neesama: “The refreshing sweetness of the pear and the comforting sweetness of the zunda don’t clash at all.”

Kiritan: “…I don’t get the logic, but it’s delicious.”

Zundamon: “Is there some for me, nanoda?”

Zunko-neesama: “You ate half of them just a minute ago.”

Zundamon: “…That was a taste test, nanoda.”

That was the quietest he was all day.

🌾 To Sum It Up

I’ll write down what I learned this time.

• Pear cultivation in Rifu started around the 17th year of the Meiji era, giving it a history of about 150 years.
• The season is a relay, starting with Kousui and moving on to Choujuurou, Housui, Nijisseiki, Niitaka, and Akizuki.
• The harvest is from late August to early November, with the peak season from September to October.
• When choosing, look for a “plump bottom, heavy weight, and firm stem.”
• The sweetest part is near the skin, so peel it thinly.

Autumn fruits don’t wait for you.

The best time to eat them is probably the moment you feel like it.

You can find out more about me on Kiritan’s page, and about the person who made the pear compote on Zunko-neesama’s page.

For the other members, please see the Character Introduction page.

Well then.

…Next time I go to a direct-sale stall, I’ve decided not to bring the taste-tester with me.