Japanese kaki persimmons are seasonal fruits that are typically harvested in October and are enjoyed in a variety of ways. While there are approximately 1000 persimmon varieties, they mostly fall into two main categories of sweet persimmons (amagaki), which are typically cut up and eaten, and astringent persimmons (shibugaki), which are often dried, made into jams, or baked into cakes and puddings. A third type, (hohsigaki) are peeled and then hung to dry in the sun for as long as a month, after which they develop a soft texture and spicy-sweet flavor. Hoshigaki can be seen drying on racks outside rural homes throughout Japan in the autumn months. Kaki have also played a significant role in Japanese culture outside of cuisine, appearing in numerous folktales.