Originally cultured in the Kanto Area sometime following the Meiji Restoration. Kikuchi (1948) reported that Doitsu originated in the Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, but gave no date. Doitsu was a chance seedling which originated in the Kawasaki City area of Kanagawa Prefecture or in the Niigata Prefecture according to Dr. Minoru Kajiura, Director, Horticultural Research Station, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan (personal correspondence May 1965) -- W.H. Griggs and B.T. Awakiri. 1977. Asian Pear Varieties in California