The Apple Pear also known as the Shinseiki Asian Pear, Nashi, and the Chinese / Japanese / Korean Pear. Native to Japan, the Asian pear made its way west when Chinese and Japanese Immigrants were making their way to the US around the 1800s. Cultivated for more than 3,000 years, the Asian Pear is not a cross breed of an apple and a pear despite its name and physical look. The Asian Pear is a cross bread of the Chinese Sand Pear and Pyrus Pyrifolia. In some regions Asian Pears are available during the Summer, but the fruits peak season is early Fall through Winter. Unlike a lot of fruits and vegetables were familiar with today, Asian Pears ripen while still on the tree and are ready to eat upon harvest. Most popular for its storage life, Asian Pears last an incredibly long time. At room temperature, they last 10 – 14 days, in a refrigerator three to four weeks, and in a commercial refrigerator three to four months! For this reason, Apple Pears would be the most logical fruit to buy if looking to purchase pears. Although expensive because of the cultivation requirements, Asian Pears are also very rich in vitamins and nutrients.