This was taken back in November in the old Nakasendo post town of Magome, Gifu Prefecture. These kaki Japanese persimmons are a variety high in tannin content that make them too astringent to eat right off the tree. They have been peeled and then hung outside to dry and sweeten naturally. We are now in the middle of the season when these hoshigaki dried persimmons are eaten as a treat or snack with tea. We also dry kaki ourselves at home, although ours are not as photogenic.
Many of the houses I saw in Magome were similarly adorned with the drying fruit. Some of houses more traditional, like this one, and others more modern. I was attracted to this house, because of the traditional construction, and the reflections of the kaki in the glass window. Looking closely at the photograph however, I noticed that the traditional house has had some modern renovation. The multiple reflections in the window are a result of a second inner window with aluminum frames; probably put in for insulation from the cold.
This photo was taken with a digital SLR with a short-telephoto prime lens. By coincidence, I have another photo, taken at a different time, in a different place, of a different subject that was similarly “hung out to dry.” I will write a post on that soon.