Food as Culture

: Have You Really Experienced True Umeboshi? The Reality Behind Japan’s Pickled Plums

Many people think umeboshi is supposed to be mildly sour—but truly traditional umeboshi is intensely sour and salty. Most umeboshi sold today are seasoned versions adjusted for modern tastes. This article explains what authentic umeboshi really is, how it’s made, and why most visitors to Japan have probably never tasted the original version. Have You Ever Tasted “Real” Umeboshi? In anime and manga, umeboshi is often portrayed as shockingly sour—strong enough to make characters freeze or recoil. Yet many visitors to Japan are surprised when they finally try umeboshi and find it… not that sour at all. This confusion ...

: What Is Umeboshi? Japan’s Pickled Plum and the Culture of Balance

Umeboshi is a traditional Japanese preserved food made by salting and sun-drying ume plums. Known for its intense sourness and saltiness, it has long been valued not only as food, but as a practical ingredient that balances flavor, preserves meals, and supports everyday eating in Japan. What Is Umeboshi? Umeboshi is a Japanese pickled plum made by fermenting ume plums with salt and drying them under the sun. Although ume is a fruit, it cannot be eaten raw. Through salting, fermentation, and sun-drying, it becomes a preserved food with a sharp flavor and long shelf life. The result is ...

: Kagami Biraki: Breaking and Eating Mochi to Close Japan’s New Year

Kagami Biraki is a Japanese New Year custom in which people eat kagami mochi that has been offered to the New Year deity. By consuming the mochi believed to hold divine blessings, people wish for health and good fortune, quietly marking the end of the New Year season. What Is Kagami Biraki? Kagami Biraki is the custom of eating kagami mochi that was displayed during the New Year period. The mochi is first offered to Toshigami, the deity believed to visit households at the start of the year. After the New Year celebrations end, the mochi is taken down ...

: Nanakusa-gayu: Japan’s Seven-Herb Rice Porridge for Health and Renewal

Nanakusa-gayu is a traditional Japanese rice porridge eaten on January 7 to absorb the vitality of young spring herbs and pray for good health throughout the year. More than a nutritious meal, nanakusa-gayu reflects a deeply rooted Japanese belief: that seasonal foods gently support the body. After the indulgence of New Year celebrations, this quiet dish symbolizes recovery, moderation, and renewal. What Is Nanakusa-gayu? Nanakusa-gayu is a light rice porridge cooked with seven young herbs and eaten in Japan on January 7. Unlike celebratory New Year dishes rich in flavor and calories, this porridge is intentionally simple and mild. ...