Umeshu: Japan's Beloved Plum Wine Explained
If there's one Japanese drink that wins over even non-drinkers, it's umeshu. Sweet, fragrant, and dangerously easy to drink, this plum liqueur has been a staple of Japanese households and bars for centuries. It's also one of the most accessible ways to enter the world of Japanese alcohol.
What is umeshu?
Umeshu (梅酒) is a liqueur made by steeping ume (Japanese plums, actually a type of apricot) in alcohol with rock sugar. The ume release their flavor, tartness, and aroma into the liquid over several months, creating a drink that's sweet, sour, and fragrant all at once.
Despite being called "plum wine" in English, umeshu is technically a liqueur — the alcohol base is usually white liquor (a neutral spirit similar to vodka), shochu, or sometimes brandy. The result is typically 10–15% alcohol.
How it's made
Making umeshu is remarkably simple, which is why many Japanese families make it at home:
- Green, unripe ume are harvested in June (ume season is a celebrated event in Japan)
- The ume are washed, dried, and their stems removed
- Ume and rock sugar (kōri-zatō) are layered in a glass jar
- White liquor, shochu, or brandy is poured over them
- The jar is sealed and stored in a cool, dark place
- After 3–6 months, the umeshu is ready; after a year, it's even better
Home-brewed umeshu is a point of pride — families tweak their recipes over generations, adjusting the sugar-to-ume ratio or the type of base alcohol. Visit a Japanese home in autumn and you might be offered homemade umeshu with great ceremony.
How to drink umeshu
On the rocks (rokku)
The most popular way. Ice mellows the sweetness and makes it refreshing. The standard order at any izakaya.
With soda (soda-wari)
Umeshu topped with sparkling water. Lighter, fizzier, and perfect in summer. Many bars serve this as a long drink.
Straight (sutorēto)
For tasting premium umeshu. The full flavor comes through — sweet, tart, and complex.
With hot water (oyuwari)
Warming and comforting in winter. The heat releases umeshu's fragrance beautifully.
As a cocktail
Bartenders use umeshu in creative cocktails — mixed with gin, champagne, or other spirits. Umeshu-based cocktails are popular at Japanese cocktail bars.
Types of umeshu
Standard umeshu
Made with white liquor (neutral spirit), rock sugar, and ume. Clean, sweet, and balanced. What you'll get at most izakayas. Brands like Choya are the most recognized.
Honkaku umeshu (本格梅酒)
Made with real ume (not flavoring) and without artificial additives. "Honkaku" means authentic. Look for this term if you want quality umeshu.
Nigori umeshu (にごり梅酒)
Cloudy umeshu with ume fruit pulp blended in. Thicker, more complex, and more intensely fruity.
Brandy umeshu
Made with brandy instead of neutral spirit. Richer and more complex, with warm notes from the brandy.
Regional varieties
Different regions produce distinctive umeshu using local ume varieties and techniques. Wakayama prefecture, Japan's largest ume producer, is famous for premium umeshu made with Nanko-ume, the highest-quality plum variety.
Umeshu at izakayas and bars
Umeshu is available at virtually every izakaya, bar, and restaurant in Japan. It's one of the first drinks many people order — approachable, recognizable, and universally liked. At an izakaya, a glass on the rocks typically costs ¥400–¥600.
For a premium experience, look for bars that specialize in umeshu or offer flights of different varieties. Some bars have dozens of umeshu options from across Japan.
Buying umeshu
Convenience stores and supermarkets stock a wide range of umeshu, from everyday brands to premium options. Look for:
- Choya — The most famous brand, available everywhere
- Takara Koshu Umeshu — Aged in barrels, more complex
- Regional craft umeshu — Available at department stores and specialty shops
Why it matters
Umeshu represents something essential about Japanese drinking culture: the idea that making alcohol is a craft, that seasonal ingredients matter, and that drinking should be pleasurable and social. It's the drink that grandmothers make at home, that businessmen order at izakayas, and that bartenders elevate into art. Use barhop.jp to find bars and izakayas near you where you can try umeshu in all its forms.