North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

At 08:32 PM 12/8/2007, Diane wrote:
> I have no idea how Aomori
> Prefecture, at the northern end of Honshu,  
> would compare with your zone 6 U.S. areas, but It had a lot of snow 
> when I was there.  Brilliant orange kaki were still on some trees,
> or  
> strung along the fronts of the farmhouses to dry.  I don't
> recall  
> seeing any in Hokkaido, which is a bit further north.

There is a kaki variety named 'Hokkaido' - don't know if that's a nod to
its point of origin or not; I have it in my orchard, courtesy of Cliff
England, but it hasn't yet fruited for me(maybe next year?).
Here's what Cliff had to say in his online catalog:
Hokkaido - Diospyros kaki Persimmon.Cold hardy in zone 6; has
never had freeze damage here in Eastern Kentucky. Hokkaido is a natural
dwarf--at 8 years old this tree is only 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide. It
is a natural fruit producing male to use as a pollinator for other trees
also. Fruit shape is conical (shaped like an acorn). Bright orange with a
blush of red, smooth flesh and very slow to lose astringency. Needs 2 to
3 weeks stored on a shelf after picking.Fruit size 3.5 inches across
by 4 inches long. Cold Hardy Zone 6.