Newer post from this place (11/2023: HERE
Travel Date: 2018/10/03
Today, the weather is really nice. I couldn't spot a single cloud in the sky, which is why we came to Xinpu to see the drying persimmons. The place is called Weiweijia Persimmon Orchard (味衛佳柿餅工廠). I'm not a fan of persimmons, but after seeing pictures, I wanted to visit this place. The view of the drying fruits is something really special and not easy to find outside of some Asian countries.
We went here about 2 weeks ago, but we could only see unripe fruits hanging on the trees. I really wanted to see those persimmons, so people advised us to come back at the end of September or early October. We've been here 2 times, and each time there were a lot of people. Several buses parked in front of the farm, and there were over 100 people trying to take pictures. It was also easy to spot foreigners here because this place is really famous.
Weiweijia Persimmon Orchard (味衛佳柿餅工廠)
The history of dried persimmons (柿餅) in Xinpu (新埔) dates back three centuries. It's a Hakka (客家) specialty, and they produce up to 80% of these fruits in Taiwan. The weather in Xinpu village is perfect for making dried persimmons. The hilly terrain and dry wind during the autumn season create the perfect conditions. From September to December, the persimmons are picked and dried.
The place is open for tourists all year round for free, although the persimmon season starts at the end of September and ends in January. The best time to visit is on sunny days with a blue sky to enjoy the orange colors of the fruits drying under the sky. I was lucky that both times the weather was really great! The only thing I would wish for is fewer people around...
During my second (or third) visit, I also saw an Asian woman dressed up and posing for pictures. I took a few pictures of her because she made the view even more special. The persimmons also create a beautiful pattern on the ground.
You can take a look from a platform to see the fruits from above the ground. Many people also climb onto the nearby roof. I tried to go there too, but with people coming and going, the roof seemed to shake... You can take pictures from various places, such as standing under the persimmons, using the platform to see them from the same level, or from a higher viewpoint. There is also another place with fewer fruits but an old building. You can even wear a farmer's hat and pose with baskets full of persimmons for pictures!
You can also pay 200NTD to paint a bag with your own design. The paints used are made from natural ingredients. However, not many people seem to be interested in this DIY activity.
See also: Historic sites of Xinpu
All the dried persimmons are handmade in the traditional way. The persimmons need to be picked from the trees when they are about 70% ripe; otherwise, they will be too weak to be peeled. In the nearby farm, you can also see fruits on trees waiting to be picked. After picking, all the fruits are washed and peeled by hand or machine. The work involves many workers. Interestingly, the workers peeling by hand are faster than the machine. They are used to people taking pictures of them, so they sometimes pause their work for a second and smile for your photos.
The peeled fruits need to be charcoal grilled for sterilization and to prevent them from turning blue due to oxidation. You can see their fireplace and the wood used for this process. After sterilization, the fruits are placed under the sunshine in windy and dry weather. The persimmons are dried for about 3-4 days and then pressed by workers to form their shape. After another 3-4 days, the fruits are put into a baking chamber for disinfection. The ready persimmons are then packed for sale.
I'm not a fan of raw persimmons, but the dried ones are definitely better! The white powder on the dried persimmons is not mold but the glucose being transformed. Persimmon powder has some therapeutic effects and boiling it in chicken soup is said to be good for asthma and coughing.
Additionally, persimmon skin can be used. The skin is extracted to create natural dyes for coloring fabric in traditional Hakka designs. Xinpu Persimmon Dye Workshop offers a platform for tourists to experience this unique culture.
While being in Weiweijia Persimmon Orchard in Xinpu, you can also take a walk to the persimmon farm. There are plenty of trees with both less ripe and more ripe persimmons. They plant three types of persimmons, so every month, the fruits' shape is a little different.
That looks really great. It's different than what I've seen back in Korea!
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