VOL.211 JANUARY 2026
JAPAN AND UME The Blessings Ume has Brought to Japanese Culture

Ume blossoms

The graceful form of the ume (Japanese apricot) tree and the fragrance of its blossoms have captivated Japanese people since ancient times. What has ume brought to Japanese culture? We interviewed Doctor of Philosophy in Medicine UTSUNOMIYA Hirotoshi about the connections between Japan and ume.

There is a deep connection between Japanese culture and ume, which might be thought of as native Japanese flora. However, ume is said to have originated in China. When and how did ume reach Japan and come to take root here?

The introduction of ume from China is thought to have taken place during the Nara period (around the 8th century). This was an era when Japan was reaching its prime as an ancient state, before the central government was established in Kyoto. It was in this context, as various systems, technologies, and cultures were actively being adopted from China, that ume also made its way into Japan.

Ume is known as a flowering tree. In early spring, when the intense chill of winter lingers but the sunlight begins to carry the warmth of the coming season, plump flower buds open on the trees. Blooming on the dark brown branches, the round blossoms release a faint, sweet fragrance from within. The flowers’ elegant form and fragrance captivated the aristocrats of the time, who treated them not simply as objects of appreciation but celebrated them in waka poetry — one of their refined pursuits — as well.

Some ume trees bear fruit, which ripen all at once during the long spells of rain before summer arrives. With their fragrance, which is distinct from that of the blossoms, one may feel tempted to taste the fruits. However, when eaten raw, they are extremely sour and hardly edible. This sourness comes from organic acids that the fruit contains, particularly citric acid.

As a way to keep such sour, inedible-when-raw ume from spoiling while making them suitable to eat, they eventually came to be pickled with abundant salt into a preserved form known as umezuke. Valued as an exceptionally nutritious food and used medicinally as well, umezuke eventually evolved into umeboshi, which is still widely eaten today.

In this way, the ume, which had been introduced from China, came to be enthusiastically embraced by the people at the time. Making a good fit with Japan’s natural and cultural features and climate, ume took root throughout the country; not only as an ornamental and medicinal botanical, but as an artistic motif and a key ingredient in everyday foods like pickled umeboshi and alcoholic umeshu.

From waka poetry to decorative patterns, family crests, ukiyo-e prints, and lucky charms, ume motifs have a long history of use in diverse forms of expression. What kind of symbolic significance has the ume held in Japanese culture? 

In Japan, the shift of the seasons from winter to spring is marked by Risshun, one of the 24 divisions of the solar year. In the solar calendar, this typically falls around February 4. Blooming right around this time, ume blossoms can truly be said to announce the coming of springtime.

For this reason, there is a term for ume blossoms, “hyakka no sakigake,” meaning “the forerunner of all types of flowers.” Through such expressions, presenting ume as blooming before all other flowers, one can discern the imagery that Japanese people associate with ume.

As an example familiar to the Japanese, there are three traditional ranks, known as matsu (pine), take (bamboo), and ume, found on the menu at Japanese restaurants that serve unagi (eel) dishes. This combination, also known by the characters’ Sino-Japanese readings, sho-chiku-bai, is considered an auspicious pattern (kissho monyo) in Japan, along with others including the tsurukame (crane and tortoise) and ho’o (phoenix) motifs. Traditional decorative designs expressing joy and celebration, such auspicious patterns are still featured today on wedding attire and the like.

The origins of matsu-take-ume or sho-chiku-bai can be traced to a painting theme from China’s Song Dynasty (late 10th to late 13th century) also known as the saikan sanyu (“Three Friends of Winter”). The saikan signifies challenging circumstances in a meaning shifted from “harsh winter,” and the san’yu are said to represent helpful or beneficial friends. That is to say, this trio — the pine that remains lush and green, never yielding to the winter’s cold; the bamboo that continues to grow straight up toward the sky; and the ume that puts out lovely blossoms with a dignified air — symbolize the ideal of living with integrity and strength even when met with difficult circumstances.

When ume was introduced to Japan, the country was in a period markedly influenced by China. Aristocrats who admired that foreign land, inspired by the Chinese poetry and literature that had been brought over, came to incorporate ume themes in the waka poems they composed and exchanged with each other.

This is how ume became a widely used theme in classical Japanese literature. Later, it came to be used as a traditional motif in decorative patterns, family crests, ukiyo-e prints, and lucky charms as well (See “Spring’s First Flower: Japanese Apricot Blossom Patterns Loved in Japan,” in HIGHLIGHTING Japan January 2026 issue; “Ume in ukiyo-e,” in HIGHLIGHTING Japan January 2026 issue).

Could you also explain how ume has influenced Japanese food culture? What sorts of food has the fruit been processed into, and what health benefits can be expected from eating them?

A variety of processed foods are made using ume fruit, including pickled umeboshi, alcoholic umeshu, umezu vinegar, neriume paste, and sauces, syrups, juices, jams, ume paste and other items. UTSUNOMIYA shared his insights on umeboshi as a widely consumed everyday example.

Japan’s climate is characterized by relatively high rainfall and hot, humid summer. This has led to the historical development of methods for storing and preserving ingredients like grains, vegetables, and seafood without letting them spoil, out of necessity. Fortunately, the seas provided an abundant source of salt, and vinegar could be made out from the staple grains. Because of these factors, preserved foods, pickled in seasonings such as salt and vinegar, developed throughout Japan.

Among these, umeboshi stands out as a representative preserved food. It is made by thoroughly salting the fruits and then drying them in abundant sunlight and open air. A particularly well-known type is made from Nanko-ume fruits, a variety that originated in Minabe Town, Wakayama Prefecture, a renowned site of ume cultivation (See “Umeboshi: A Traditional Japanese Health Food,” in HIGHLIGHTING Japan January 2026 issue).

Wakayama Prefecture, an ume-producing region since the Edo period (early 17th century to mid-late 19th century), is located in the southern part of the Kii Peninsula, surrounded by sea from the south to the west. In this region, where maritime transport flourished, Kishu kaisen cargo ships would set sail, carrying large quantities of goods to the capital, Edo (present-day Tokyo), and to the key port of Osaka in western Japan.

Among these goods was ume-zuke, the predecessor of umeboshi. This is said to be where umeboshi came from, this process of making moisture evaporate from the fruits to prevent them from being crushed when loaded onto the cargo ships and transported. Umeboshi from Kii-Tanabe was popular among the common people of Edo for its high quality.

Umeboshi pairs perfectly with rice, the staple of the Japanese diet. Rice formed into balls is called nigiri-meshi (or onigiri). Placing a single pickled umeboshi inside helps keep the rice prepared in the morning fresh and tasty until lunchtime. During the Warring States period (late 15th to late 16th century) when there were ongoing conflicts across Japan, samurai warriors carried nigiri-meshi filled with umeboshi for nutrition, food poisoning prevention, and recovery from fatigue.

When I began my research on ume some 30 years ago, I received messages from elderly people who had heard of my work through the media. “During World War II, eating umeboshi on the battlefield helped prevent illness from contaminated water and made bland rice easier to eat,” they told me, highlighting the role of ume in preventing food poisoning and boosting appetite in wartime conditions.

In this way, the belief that eating umeboshi restores vitality and helps prevent food poisoning has been passed down as a form of everyday wisdom. When the Kishu Ume Efficacy Research Group that I lead undertook medical verification of this, we discovered that umeboshi has antibacterial properties that suppress the growth of the bacteria that cause food poisoning, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and pathogenic Escherichia coli (O-157). It has also been proven that the citric acid contained in umeboshi helps keep lactic acid from accumulating in muscles, a major cause of fatigue. In addition, scientific data shows a range of other functional food properties for ume: helping prevent stomach cancer, diabetes, and influenza; inhibiting arteriosclerosis (the hardening of arteries); antioxidant activity; blood purification; fat-burning effects, and more.

Do you have any insights you would like to share with international audiences about the special appeal of ume, or any recommended ways to enjoy it when visiting Japan?

For international visitors, I recommend to try umeshu (See “The Charms of Umeshu: From a Traditional Japanese Household Flavor to a Drink Enjoyed Worldwide,” in HIGHLIGHTING Japan January 2026 issue), an alcoholic drink made with ume, first. I have found umeshu to be very well-received by those from outside Japan. It seems to suit their tastes well. I lived in the United States for many years, and even back then, in the 1990s, various types of umeshu were available. Some of my acquaintances enjoyed drinking it as they would wine. They said drinking umeshu helped them sleep soundly.

The full-bodied, mellow aroma of ume does have a relaxing effect, indeed, and similar health benefits as the fruit itself can be expected. As souvenirs for children, you might also consider picking out ume juice or syrup as well.

Ume paste made from mashed fruit or concentrated ume extract is another item I can recommend. In Japan, grilled chicken tenderloins are often served with mashed ume, and as a practical idea, you might enjoy the flavor of ume by substituting ume paste for other sauces commonly used in meat dishes.

As a medical researcher, I have dedicated many years to the research of ume. My motivation has been driven not only by its high functional value as a food, but also by a simple desire to share the genuine deliciousness of ume. Although I actually did not care for the taste of umeboshi before getting started with my research, I was genuinely moved by the delicious umeboshi in Wakayama, my place of assignment when returning from the U.S..

In my personal view, eating is not only about savoring good flavors; it also has the power to promote health when the act of eating itself is enjoyed. I sincerely hope you encounter ume food products that suit your taste when you visit Japan and enjoy opportunities to truly savor their delicious flavors.

By TAKADERA Kuriko
Photo: PIXTA