How to Make Umeshu, the Spirit of a Japanese Summer

Making and enjoying umeshu, Japanese plum wine, is a seasonal ritual—and an exercise in patience

A chilled glass of umeshu, on its own or diluted with seltzer, is a beloved summertime refresher. Factory X/Shutterstock

Just as spring slips and summer arrives in Japan, before the mosquitoes swarm and the thick humidity hits in earnest, ume leads the charge into the new season.

Ume, Japanese plums, are just as much a part of Japanese art and life as sakura, cherry blossoms. The trees bloom earlier, at the end of winter and as spring just begins, making them the real harbinger of spring—especially as branches get filled in with leaves, and then the small, green fruit.