Summer in Japan is when Japanese plums called ume (梅) come into season. Ume is used to make various products like umeshu (梅酒), plum wine, and umeboshi (梅干し), pickled plum. Learn about the Japanese summer culture and history surrounding this healthy food.
Table of Contents
- What is Ume (梅)?
- When is the Ume Season in Japan?
- Umeshu, Japanese Plum Wine
- Umeboshi, Japanese Pickled Plum
What is Ume (梅)?
Ume (梅) are Japanese plum or Japanese apricot. It is a fruit-bearing tree native to China but was introduced to Japan during the Asuka period (592 to 710 A.D.) as a type of medicine called Ubai, but has become cultivated extensively in Japan.
The fruit of the ume tree is small, round, and typically yellow-green when ripe. It is commonly used in Japanese cuisine for making preserves, condiments and alcoholic beverages. A popular ume product is umeboshi (梅干し), which is pickled plum. As for drinks, the alcoholic umeshu (梅酒), a sweet fruit liquor, is incredibly popular.
Apart from their fruit, ume flowers are also admired for their beauty. During the Nara period, plum blossom viewing, called 梅見 (Umemi) or 観梅 (Kanume), was enjoyed by nobles. The plum blossom season in Japan is typically from early February (winter) to mid-March (early spring).
Read more about plum blossoms, their cultural impact in Japan, and best places to see them here.
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When is the Ume Season in Japan?
The ume season in Japan is typically in June and July. This period marks the time when the ume fruits are harvested. The exact timing can vary depending on region and weather conditions each year, but generally June is when you can find fresh ume fruits becoming available in supermarkets and markets across Japan.
Incidentally, the ume season coincides with the rainy season, called 梅雨 (Tsuyu) in Japanese. If you notice, the kanji for ume (梅) makes up part of the kanji for tsuyu. One of the theories about this is that the rainy season was named after the plum season. During the rainy season, indoor activities in Japan include making umeshu or umeboshi to pass the time.
Apart from Tsuyu, the kanji for ume is also used for "入梅 (Nyubai)". Nyubai is one of the seasonal days on the Japanese 雑節 (zassetsu) calendar that marks the changing of seasons. Usually around June 10th or 11th, 入梅 marks the beginning of the rainy season. In Japan, this day is called “Umeshu Day (梅酒の日)”.
Umeshu, Japanese Plum Wine
Umeshu (梅酒) is Japanese plum wine. It is a traditional Japanese liquor made from ume fruit. In June, when plum season begins, supermarkets and stores start selling fresh plum and umeshu making kits to welcome the season. It is a fun activity to enjoy indoors during the rainy season, and when it is ready, you can enjoy sipping on the delicious sweet liquor.
※ The legal age to buy / drink alcohol in Japan is 20 years and above.
How to Make Umeshu
Equipment Needed:
- Clean, sterilised glass storage jar with a tight lid
- Bamboo skewers
Ingredients Needed:
- 1KG Ume
- 1.8L White Liquor or Shochu
- 1K Rock Sugar (or honey, brown sugar)
※ Adjust as necessary.
Instructions:
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Prepare the Ume Fruits: Wash the plums and remove the stems with the tip of a bamboo skewer, then carefully dry them. Be careful not to damage the fruits.
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Layer Sugar and Ume Fruits: Place plums and rock sugar alternately in the glass storage jar. You can adjust the sweetness by putting less sugar, or make a unique umeshu by replacing rock sugar with brown sugar or honey.
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Pour in the Liquor: Gently pour in the liquor into the jar. Different brands of liquor will alter the taste.
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Age It: Secure the lid tightly and let it store in a cool, dark place. Gently swirl from time to time for evenness. Let it rest for at least 6 months but up to 1 year. If you want to age it for more than a year, remove the plums after a year, and let it continue to age.
Umeboshi, Japanese Pickled Plum
Umeboshi (梅干し) are pickled Japanese plums, known for their intensely sour and salty taste. They are popular condiments in Japanese cuisine, usually enjoyed with rice. They are used in onigiri (rice balls), shaved over rice, consumed as a side dish with meals to cleanse one’s palate, or eaten as it is as a snack.
How to Make Umeboshi
Equipment Needed:
- Clean, sterilised container (ceramic or glass) with a lid (or plastic wrap)
- Lid slightly smaller than container
- Heavy weight
- Bamboo skewers
Ingredients Needed:
- 1KG Ume
- 200g Coarse Salt
Instructions:
-
Prepare the Ume Fruits: Wash the plums and remove the stems with the tip of a bamboo skewer, then carefully dry them. Be careful not to damage the fruits.
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Layer Salt and Ume Fruits: Place plums and salt alternately in the container, starting with salt at the bottom, and ending with extra salt at the top.
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Ferment Them: Cover with the lid, and place the heavy weight on top of it to compress the plums and salt. Cover with the container’s lid or with plastic wrap, tying it securely. Let it ferment for a month.
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Dry Them: Remove from the container and dry them. You will need to dry them under the sun for at least 3 consecutive days so check the weather forecast beforehand for sunny weather.
※ This is the simplest method for making umeboshi. There are other ways such as adding plum vinegar, shiso leaves for flavouring, etc.
To Close
Ume (梅) is Japanese plum or Japanese apricot. It is a versatile plant that is enjoyed for its fruit, made into plum liquor and pickled plum, but also enjoyed for its beautiful pink blossoms.
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