Kirk here with a lengthy article that I highly recommend for fruit history buffs (I know you’re out there ;) ). The article explores the roots of Kumamoto’s banpeiyu industry in Japan’s colonization of Taiwan. Currently, “Kumamoto accounts for 96% of Japan’s entire banpeiyu harvest, and the southern Kumamoto city of Yatsushiro is a particular specialist in the fruit, which is harvested in winter and has become a popular seasonal gift.”