Food · Fermented foods

Nashi (Japanese Pear)

日本なし (Nashi)

Also known as: Nashi, Japanese pear, Asian pear, Pyrus pyrifolia, 梨, Kosui, Hosui, Nijisseiki, Akizuki, Niitaka

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling name日本なし
Common Japanese notations日本なし, 梨, なし, 幸水, 豊水, 二十世紀, 秋月, 新高
OriginJapanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia); cultivated in Japan since prehistoric times; principal modern production regions Chiba (volume leader, Funassyī mascot home of pear-marketing), Ibaraki, Tochigi, Tottori (Nijisseiki heritage), Fukushima, Saitama; multiple cultivars (Kosui — early summer, Hosui — peak summer, Nijisseiki — autumn green-skin, Akizuki, Niitaka — late autumn)
Typical functionsPremium summer/autumn fresh fruit retail, Juice and beverage applications, Premium gift retail
Regulatory status in JapanStandard agricultural product labeling. Multiple regional brands established. Cultivar disclosure (Kosui / Hosui / Nijisseiki / Akizuki / Niitaka) is consumer-expected for premium positioning. Not a designated allergen.

Nashi (日本なし) — Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) — is a defining Japanese summer-autumn fruit, distinct from European pear (Pyrus communis) by round shape, crisp apple-like texture, and very high water content. Major cultivars sequence through summer-autumn: Kosui (early), Hosui (peak), Nijisseiki (Tottori green-skin heritage), Akizuki, Niitaka (late). Chiba leads volume production; Tottori is heritage Nijisseiki area.

Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Functions

Regulatory tags

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

  • Fresh whole nashi retail (July-October peak by cultivar)
  • Nashi juice retail
  • Premium gift retail (Tottori Nijisseiki, Chiba, Ibaraki regional)

What it is

Pyrus pyrifolia, distinct from European pear. Round shape, crisp apple-like texture, very high water content.

Production: Chiba (volume leader), Ibaraki, Tochigi, Tottori, Fukushima, Saitama.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Premium summer/autumn fresh retail.

Juice production.

Premium gift retail (Tottori Nijisseiki, Chiba etc.).

For OEM: fresh retail by cultivar, juice production, premium gift retail.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Cultivar disclosure for premium positioning. Not a designated allergen.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUImported as Asian pear / Japanese pear.
USAEstablished US Asian pear retail.
ChinaChina has substantial pear production.
KoreaKorea has substantial bae (배) pear culture.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of cultivar and origin.

All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.

References

  1. MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — 日本なし

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.

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