The harvest of "Tanba chestnuts"—a signature autumn delicacy of the Tanba region in Kyoto Prefecture—is currently at its peak. At farms in Fukuchiyama City, the glossy, reddish-brown nuts are now visible.
According to the Kyoto Prefecture Chutan Regional Promotion Bureau, the annual chestnut production in the Nantan and Chutan areas totals approximately 79 tons. The harvest season peaks in early October and continues through late October.
Masakazu Hosomi (75 years old), a farmer in the Miwa-cho district of Fukuchiyama City, cultivates Tanba chestnuts on a plot of about 35 ares; he expects a yield of around 650 kilograms this year, which is on par with average years. Although the nuts are slightly smaller than usual due to low rainfall in late July—a critical time for growth—Hosomi notes, "Their sweetness is doubled, so I hope people enjoy this taste of autumn."
On October 10, Kyoto Prefecture and other organizers will hold the Fukuchiyama Region Tanba Chestnut Festival at the Budokan (martial arts hall) in Sandan-ike Park, Fukuchiyama City, featuring direct sales of the chestnuts. The event will also include sales of chestnut-based sweets and chestnut-themed games.
