The Perfect Balance of a Persimmon

The Perfect Balance of a Persimmon

When I first moved to Japan, one of the first things I noticed in fall were these bright orange fruit glowing on the trees: persimmon.

Before moving to Japan, I had seen them occasionally in fancy grocery stores, maybe dried or a small amount among other common fruits. But in Japan, persimmons are everywhere and line the grocery produce section, front and center. They are like the star fruit of Fall. during fall. I love how seasonal and special they feel.

And I’ve become completely obsessed.

I even carved a linoleum stamp to create a shirt patterned with persimmons running down the sides. Every time I wear it, people smile. There’s something about the cheerful orange circles that just brings happiness, and when people recognize they’re persimmons, the connection grows. Everyone seems to love them and not just for their taste, but because they represent warmth and simple beauty.

Seeing the Details

The more I’ve studied persimmons, the more I’ve fallen in love with their form. The color alone feels like a million shades of orange in one: red-orange, soft golden yellow, turmeric, pumpkin orange...I could go on.

If you look at one from above, you’ll notice a cool square-like symmetry: four leafy petals arranged almost perfectly across its crown. It’s not round like an apple but more like a circle that holds a gentle square inside. Sometimes on the bottom, you can even see a faint X-shaped pattern, a mark from how it grew.

There’s this built-in harmony, a subtle understated geometry that feels both designed and natural. It reminds me that nature has its own order, rhythms and systems that we can rely on.

——> One of my illustrations with a message I wrote on top. I have no idea if anyone has said this but this came to me.

What Nature Teaches

I realize how beautifully consistent nature is. It’s always there for us. It shows up again and again, season after season.

And then I think about how we as humans can be the opposite. We’re unpredictable, emotional, full of change. Yet here’s this fruit that’s balanced and dependable. The persimmon tells us that steadiness can also be beautiful.

The persimmon has become, for me, a symbol of gratitude for nature’s cycles, of nourishment, for the small things that sustain us. When I stop and think about it, if I have food to eat, a safe place to sleep, and people I love to share those things with, that’s true abundance.

A Simple Reminder

Every time I see persimmons glowing on the trees, I try to slow down and let myself appreciate it’s beauty. With the exception of taking pictures, it’s a way to stop being distracted by my phone (yes, I know you know!). The struggle is real.

Nature always shows up and we are so lucky. Perfectly on time, perfectly itself. And maybe the most beautiful thing we can do is notice that, and let it remind us how to come back into the moment…and then make some art!