VOL.211 JANUARY 2026
JAPAN AND UME The Charms of Umeshu: From a Traditional Japanese Household Flavor to a Drink Enjoyed Worldwide

Jars are packed with freshly picked Japanese apricots, rock sugar, and alcohol to make umeshu.

Once made in households throughout Japan, umeshu has now become a liqueur attracting attention worldwide, with artisans crafting a diverse array of flavors. MYOJO Tomohiro, representative director of the Umeshu Study Group, says, “Umeshu is a cultural asset that Japan can proudly present to the world.” What sort of alcoholic beverage is umeshu? We interviewed MYOJO to learn more about the drink’s range of flavors, its growing popularity, and its spread toward the world.

Umeshu is an alcoholic drink with deep roots in Japanese daily life. Since ancient times, Japanese households have prepared umeboshi (pickled  Japanese apricots) and umeshu as part of an early summer tradition known as ume-shigoto (“ume work.”) Current umeshu is made by simply placing rock sugar and ume fruits in a jar and pouring alcohol over, with no need to use knives or heat. Making umeshu has been passed down through the generations-from grandmothers to mothers, and from mothers to children- partly because of how easy it is to prepare.

Umeshu Study Group defines umeshu as any drink that contains the three elements: alcohol, ume, and sugar. One of its most appealing aspects is how greatly the flavor can vary depending on the type of base alcohol. Japanese sake, shochu,¹ brandy, or other varieties can be used, with each lending distinctive flavors of their own.

“Sake-based umeshu features a refreshing acidity and is relatively low in sweetness. In contrast, making it with ‘white liquor’² brings out more of the fruit’s essence, giving the drink a richer, more concentrated taste. Using authentic shochu as the base brings out the distinctive flavors of the ingredients, such as rice, barley, and sweet potato. Brandy-based versions are full-bodied and mellow, making them pair well with desserts as well. Sipping this type on the rocks offers another luxurious way to enjoy it.

“As I have mentioned, any drink that contains alcohol, ume, and sugar can be called umeshu. Still, other fruits or flavorings can also be added to create endless possibilities,” MYOJO explains.

There are also various types of sugar for making umeshu. Combinations of different types, from the clear sweetness of rock sugar to the deep flavor of brown sugar and the elegance of wasanbon,³ can create umeshu with their own distinct characters. This is a drink with a flavor that can truly be “multiplied” by what is put into it.

Umeshu, passed down and developed in households, was eventually commercialized by sake-breweries and others, leading to the spread of its diverse flavors throughout Japan. It was in this context that Umeshu Study Group established an event for objectively evaluating the drink’s special appeal: the annual Japan Umeshu Competition. Judges from Umeshu Study Group perform blind taste tests of entries in nine categories based on factors such as the base alcohol and price, with brand names and other identifying information hidden from their view.

“Rather than appearance, naming, or the producer, we focus on what makes umeshu truly distinctive-not just the sweetness and aroma, but also the acidity of the ume, and whether its citric acid spreads within the mouth,” MYOJO explains.

Judging is based on five criteria: the aroma, flavor, aftertaste, ‘ume-like’ character, and overall balance. Judges include sommeliers (wine experts), sakasho (the equivalent for sake), and other specialists in the field of sake. The level has been rising year by year, and the winners are not always longstanding traditional sake breweries. Sometimes a young brewer may end up winning the first-place Gold Prize on their very first time participating.

Umeshu Study Group also holds Japan Umeshu Festa events in various locations across Japan as an opportunity to experience the appeal of umeshu firsthand. At these events, visitors can taste and compare somewhere between 100 and 200 varieties. The events are held about four or five times a year at locations including Kairakuen in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture; Ueno Park in Taito City, Tokyo; Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture; and the plaza in front of Hakata Station in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. With as many as tens of thousands of attendees, the events help forge connections between different generations with the help of volunteer staff.

MYOJO says with enthusiasm: “It is such a reward for those involved with these events, from the producers to the volunteer staff, to get to see delight on attendees when they express how delicious the drinks are. Volunteers might range in age from 20s to 80s, and after all working together, they will sometimes enjoy some umeshu together. This drink has the power to bring people together.”

A boom in umeshu popularity is now starting to take off outside Japan as well. Various lower alcohol content makes it enjoyable for light drinkers, making umeshu widely accepted as “an alcohol open to everyone.” MYOJO smiles as he shares, “While everyone tends to have own opinions, sometime negative ones, on drinks like sake and shochu. It is pretty rare that I meet a person who dislikes umeshu.”

The Umeshu Study Group, he continues, is now looking to develop a market for umeshu in Europe.

“Europe, with highly developed food culture, is an ideal place to promote umeshu as a drink to enjoy paired with a meal. It pairs exceptionally well with cheese dishes and I believe people will appreciate it as a uniquely Japanese flavor distinct from wine,” MYOJO expresses his hopes.

While once a flavor associated with Japanese home cooking and drink-making, the day may come when umeshu finds a place on dinner tables all around the world.

• 1. A form of distilled alcohol made using a pot still. Characterized by the distinctive flavors and aromas of the raw ingredients used to make it and an alcohol content of less than 45%.
• 2. A form of distilled alcohol made using a column still with water added to it. Characterized by having almost no distinctive flavor or aroma of its own and an alcohol content of less than 36%.
• 3. A premium-grade form of sugar produced in Japan’s Tokushima and Kagawa prefectures. Characterized by its refined sweetness and fine-grained texture, an ingredient used to make traditional Japanese sweets.

By YANAGISAWA Miho
Photo: Umeshu Study Group; PIXTA