What's Kakishibu?

The main component of kakishibu is polymeric tannin.

Kakishibu is made by fermenting the juice extracted from unripe sour persimmons.

It is brown in color and has a unique smell. Since ancient times, kakishibu has been used to dye wood, fabrics, and paper and as strengthening, antiseptic, and waterproof agents. Moreover, in the field of folk medicine, it has been used as a hypotensive drug, a remedy for burns and chilblains, a drug to prevent hangovers, an agent to neutralize protein toxin of poisonous snakes, and a clarifying agent for sake. It is expected that kakishibu will be applied in many fields as the latent effects of polymeric tannin, the main component of kakishibu, are elucidated.