Kumamoto is famous for citrus. Two things you’ll notice: (1) aside from the mikan, you’ll probably have no idea what it is (don’t worry - most Japanese don’t either); (2) some of it is very large - like, bowling-ball size large.
Case in point: the Citrus maxima ‘banpeiyu (晩白柚)’. The banpeiyu, similar to the avocado, is proof that God wasn’t constantly paying attention during the design stage. It ended up with a massively thick rind encasing a sour, baseball-sized fruit. The name derives from Chinese - “ban”（晩）meaning “late” (in the season), “pei”（白, white), referring to the color of the mesocarp (inner rind), and “yu” (柚) - citrus.
The question has long been what to do with them (at least God made avocados really delicious), and, as is typical in Japanese culture with citrus you really don’t want to eat, the answer has been to toss them in the bath. 晩白柚 contain a large amount of citrus oil in their rinds, which, when withdrawn by soothing, hot water, gives both women lustrous, glowing skin and their husbands time to sneak off for a beer.
If you’d like to try this, the Hinagu Onsen Collective, composing 11 onsen in what is the loveliest, most traditional onsen towns on the Yatsushiro Sea, is offering this chance through the end of January. For more info, please post below. - William
