If you grow or have access to hachiya persimmons growing on a tree, pick some hard but fully colored, and leave a bit of the branch attached. Peel the hard persimmons without breaking off the branch, and tie string to each branch piece. Hang the peeled persimmons from a pole in a warm, dry room. They should be ready to eat in six weeks. In Japan, persimmon lovers watch as they turn brown, then occasionally pinch the flesh gently to break up the pulp and promote even drying. When they are leathery, they’re taken down from the pole and placed in a box lined with waxed paper, extra waxed paper is folded over them, and the lid of the box is closed. They turn white as the sweating sugar crystallizes on their surface over the next month or so.