That Little Red Plum You Keep Seeing in Japan: A Beginner’s Guide to Umeboshi
If you have eaten breakfast at a hotel in Japan, wandered through a convenience store, or picked up an onigiri, you have probably seen it: a small, wrinkled red fruit sitting beside the rice, tucked inside a rice ball, or appearing among an assortment of Japanese pickles.
So, what exactly is it?
It is umeboshi, one of Japan’s most recognizable traditional foods. Often translated as pickled plum, umeboshi is made from ume, a fruit that looks similar to a small plum but is actually more closely related to an apricot.
The fruit is salted and traditionally dried, creating the intensely flavored, wrinkled fruit that has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries.
For visitors, umeboshi can be a bit of a surprise. It can be incredibly sour and salty, but it can also be sweet, fruity, mild, soft, or even spicy depending on how it is prepared. That variety is exactly why I recommend trying it more than once. If you dislike your first umeboshi, you may simply need to find a different one.
A Little History Behind the Pickled Plum:
Ume has been part of Japanese culture for more than a thousand years, although the fruit originally came to Japan from China. Ume blossoms became particularly important in Japanese culture, appearing in poetry, art, and seasonal traditions, while the fruit was eventually preserved to make it last longer.
By the Heian period, umeboshi was being used as both food and medicine. Preserving the fruit with salt made it extremely practical in a time when refrigeration did not exist. Its long shelf life also made it useful for travelers and soldiers, including samurai.
Over time, umeboshi became increasingly common as an everyday food. During the Edo period, ume production expanded, particularly in Wakayama, where the climate and landscape are ideal for growing ume. Wakayama remains Japan’s best-known ume-producing region today.
One of the most famous varieties is Nankō-ume, a large ume with soft flesh and a thin skin. It is particularly associated with Wakayama and is used to make many of the high-quality umeboshi found throughout Japan.
So What Does Umeboshi Taste Like?
This is probably the most important thing to know before trying one: not all umeboshi taste the same.
Traditional umeboshi can be extremely sour and salty. If you bite directly into one expecting something similar to a fresh plum, you may be in for a shock! The strong combination of acidity and saltiness is traditionally balanced by eating umeboshi with plain rice.
However, there are plenty of milder varieties. Some are seasoned with honey or other sweeteners, giving them a much sweeter and fruitier flavor. Others have less salt and a softer, more approachable taste. Umeboshi can also be seasoned with red shiso, which gives the fruit its familiar reddish-purple color and adds its own distinctive flavor.
There are differences in texture, too. Some umeboshi are incredibly soft and almost melt in your mouth, while others are firmer and more concentrated.
So if your first umeboshi is far too sour, don’t give up. Try a sweetened version. If you find that one too sweet, look for a traditional salty variety. If you already love sour foods, you may discover that the strongest umeboshi are exactly what you were looking for.
Where Can You Find Umeboshi?
One of the easiest places to try umeboshi is a Japanese breakfast buffet. Look around the rice, pickles, and small side dishes, and you will often find it sitting there. Try a little alongside plain rice for a simple and traditional combination.
Convenience stores are another easy introduction. Umeboshi rice balls are extremely common, and this lets you try the flavor without buying an entire package of umeboshi. You can also find ume-flavored snacks and other convenience-store treats if you want to see how widely the flavor is used.
And umeboshi is definitely not limited to rice.
You may find udon with umeboshi, where the sharp acidity adds a refreshing contrast to the broth.
Some restaurants also serve umeboshi ramen, pairing the sourness of ume with a savory ramen soup. It is an unusual combination if you have never tried it before, but the acidity can add a bright contrast to a richer bowl of ramen.
You can also find umeboshi or ume paste used in sauces, dressings, sushi, and other dishes. Sometimes the whole fruit is served, while other dishes use ume paste for a smoother flavor.
Three Stops in Tokyo for Big Umeboshi Fans:
If you have tried umeboshi and decided you want to go further than a convenience-store onigiri, there are three Tokyo stops I particularly recommend.
Umetohoshi, 梅と星:
Located just beside Asakusa’s famous Nakamise area, Umetohoshi is a restaurant built around the idea of enjoying freshly cooked rice with delicious Japanese accompaniments, with umeboshi very much at the center of the experience. The restaurant serves rice cooked in traditional kama pots alongside miso soup, umeboshi, and a selection of other rice accompaniments.
One of the fun features is the Otomo Omikuji, where you leave your choice of accompaniments partly to luck. Instead of simply ordering a meal where everything is predetermined, you get to discover different flavors to enjoy with your rice.
Umetohoshi also sells various accompaniments to take home, and the shop has its own ume-based products. Its location makes it an especially easy stop to add to an Asakusa sightseeing day, and it is a great choice if you want to experience umeboshi as part of a proper Japanese meal rather than eating one by itself.
Tachigui Umeboshi-ya, 立ち喰い梅干し屋:
For someone who really wants to compare umeboshi, this is the stop I would prioritize.
Located on the fourth floor of Tokyo Solamachi near Tokyo Skytree, Tachigui Umeboshi-ya specializes entirely in umeboshi and has selected varieties from producers around Japan. The shop says it has tasted more than 300 different umeboshi varieties while choosing which ones to offer, so this is definitely not a place that treats all umeboshi as the same thing.
You can order a single umeboshi with tea, or try a tasting set with three different umeboshi and hojicha. There is also an umeboshi ochazuke (rice and tea), allowing you to experience the fruit as part of a simple meal rather than just tasting it on its own.
Different umeboshi are paired with different teas, which makes the experience even more interesting because you can see how the flavors change together.
If you find one you love, you can also buy umeboshi to take home, including options sold by weight.
More Options for Buying Umeboshi:
If you want to take some home, 福梅本舗 自由が丘店 is a great example of the specialty umeboshi shops you can find around Tokyo.
This shop specializes in Kishu Nankō umeboshi from Wakayama, and after its recent renovation, it was designed to recreate the atmosphere of a traditional ume shop in Wakayama. One of the best things for curious visitors is that you can try different varieties before deciding what to buy.
The shop regularly carries several styles, including traditional salty umeboshi as well as sweeter varieties such as honey ume and kombu ume. It also offers an assortment specifically designed for first-time customers. Another fun feature is its by-weight purchasing, so you can choose individual umeboshi and buy exactly the amount you want instead of committing to a large package.
This is just one example of where to buy umeboshi, but it is a particularly good option if you have discovered that you love them and want to compare several types before taking some home.
Give Umeboshi a Try!
Umeboshi is one of those foods that can be easy to overlook in Japan, but once you start noticing it, you will see just how often it appears.
Try it in an onigiri, look for it at breakfast, order umeboshi ramen or udon, or visit a specialty shop and compare different varieties. You may not love the first one you try, but with so many combinations of sour, salty, sweet, fruity, and savory flavors, it is worth finding the umeboshi that suits you.
