Japanese Culture

My special treat for this rainy season is making Umeshu. I made my first Umeshu 5 years ago, about 4L, and this year we finally drank it all up (it took so long because it was fun making, but the taste bored me a little, but it’s totally my fault and not the Umeshu).


So this year, I’m gonna make my Umeshu again. What’s special about making your own Umeshu is that you can arrange it to your taste, and also you can eat all the soaked plums, which are so delicious but hard to buy because it is so expensive at the supermarkets. This time I’m gonna make it less sweet. You can manage the taste by changing the portion of the ingredients.


Besides that, making Umeshu is so fun and satisfying because you don’t have to do much, just put the ingredients together and leave them. Time makes a delicious drink. If you don’t drink alcohol, just put ingredients without liquor, and you can make sweet plum syrup. Mixing it with soda is super delicious!!


All you need is some plums, rock sugar, and liquor. You can find them at local supermarkets this season. There are plenty of recipes provided on the internet, so find one that suits you best.


I highly recommend making it because it’s a seasonal thing, and I think it’s chic. I was first inspired by the idea of making Umeshu after watching a movie called “Umimachi Diary (Our Little Sister) (2015).” The movie was more impressive because they made Umeshu with plums picked from their garden.


Btw, it is important to know the Liquor Tax Law in Japan. In most cases, making liquor at your own house without permission will be illegal. However, in those days, homemade Umeshu was so popular among Japanese people that they made an exception and allowed people to make Umeshu at home. You have to be careful not to make Umeshu with liquor less than 20% alcohol, or give your homemade Umeshu to others.
Japan has a special law to allow making Umeshu at home for cultural reasons.


Nowadays, not many people make their own Umeshu at home. However, you can find Umeshu anywhere, like convenience stores, supermarkets, izakayas, or restaurants.


If you are living in Japan, why don’t you make your own Umeshu and feel the season??