Hoshigaki are Japanese dried persimmons which are consumed as traditional confections. When astringent persimmons are dried, they become sweet hoshigaki. Making hoshigaki is a fall tradition in my house, and lots of persimmons are hung outside under the roof like curtains. A piece of hoshigaki makes a great tea-time treat.

What are Hoshigaki?

Japanese Sweets

Japanese Fruits
_{Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com}

After the Thanksgiving feast, do you plan to cook with leftovers? How about cooking Japanese dishes using turkey leftovers? Some of my recommendations are fried rice, spring rolls, and mixed rice. Check out more leftover turkey cooking ideas.

Leftover Turkey Recipes
_{Fried Rice Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

It's a traditional Japanese nimono dish. In Japanese cooking, satoimo are often simmered as nimono. I like the slimy texture of satoimo and cook this dish for autumn dinners.

Simmered Satoimo Recipe

Simmered Squid and Satoimo Recipe

Potato Dishes
_{Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Yokan is a traditional Japanese sweet, which is like a firm jelly. It's typically made of azuki beans, but imo yokan is mainly made of satsumaimo sweet potatoes. It's good for a tea-time treat in autumn. Enjoy this yokan with a cup of hot green tea.

Imo Yokan Recipe

Satsumaimo

Mizu Yokan Recipe

Japanese Green tea
_{Imo Yokan Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.}