Shiso Umeboshi Sour Plum Kishu 8oz

What is shiso umeboshi?
Umeboshi (梅干し) are Japanese plums salted and pickled until sour. This version is pickled with shiso (紫蘇, perilla leaf), which gives it its red color and a herbal edge. It's made from Kishu Nanko-bai (紀州南高梅), a plum variety known for thin skin and a soft, juicy flesh. The taste is the classic umeboshi balance: sour and salty up front, with a savory umami underneath.

The umeboshi rice ball — umeboshi tucked into rice — is one of the most familiar everyday foods in Japan. Made without additives or sugar, this is the plain, traditional style: just plum, salt, and shiso, the way it has been preserved for generations.

Specifications

How to enjoy

The simplest way is with plain rice — one umeboshi in a bowl of rice, or pressed into an onigiri rice ball. It also works chopped into dressings and sauces, alongside grilled fish, in chilled summer dishes, or steeped in hot water or shochu. A little is enough; the flavor is concentrated.

Pairing notes — steamed rice, green tea, grilled fish, cucumber, and shochu.