On our dormitory grounds, we are blessed with two massive plum (ume) trees. This year, they bore an abundance of beautiful fruit, which we carefully harvested together! As you can see in the photo, the plums have begun to turn a lovely golden yellow. The tiny freckles on their skin are proof of their organic, all-natural growth in our backyard.

Connecting Across Borders Through the Art of “Ume-Shigoto”

We gathered with our Interns, graduate students, and researchers  for a hands-on workshop to make traditional Japanese Umeshu (plum liqueur), plum juice, and plum syrup. With large glass jars, white liquor, rock sugar, and vinegar lined up on the table, everyone took turns meticulously removing the stems from each plum using bamboo skewers. This careful preparation is the secret to a delicious batch

Layering Flavors: A Beautiful Visual Process

We carefully layered the cleaned plums and sparkling rock sugar inside the glass jars. As the jars filled up, the room was filled with a faint, sweet aroma of fresh plums. Everyone was captivated by the scent, making us all the more excited to taste the final product!

“When Will It Be Ready?” The Anticipation Begins

Standing around our completed jars,Interns, graduate students, and researchers  were full of curiosity, eagerly asking, “When will it be ready to drink?” While the syrup and juice will be ready in a few weeks, the Umeshu will take anywhere from a few months to a year to fully mature. Watching the rock sugar slowly melt day by day is going to be half the fun!