“Banpeiyu”: The Citrus Connecting Taiwan and Kumamoto

The logo of the Hisatsu Orange Railway, which connects Kumamoto’s Yatsushiro with Sendai in Kagoshima Prefecture. The biggest of the fruit pictured is a pomelo. (© Katakura Yoshifumi)

Shimada Yaichi spent years working on agricultural development in Taiwan. He is also known for his study of ponkan and tankan citrus. Picture from Shinchikushū taikan (Survey of Shinchiku Prefecture)

The Shilin Horticultural Reseach Branch of the Central Research Institute, Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan, is now the Shilin Residence Park. It was opened to the public in 1996 as a recreational spot. (© Katakura Yoshifumi)

Pomelos are called youzi in Taiwan. They grow well in mildly alkaline soils and are weak against acidity. The Madou district of Tainan, Taiwan, is a famous producer. (© Katakura Yoshifumi)

A streetcorner fruit shop in Taiwan. Varied agricultural development went on during Japan’s colonial control, and many introduced species flourished. (© Katakura Yoshifumi)