A Summer Tradition from My Kitchen – Enduring Japan’s Blazing Heat with Ume Syrup
This is how I make homemade ume syrup—using firm, crisp green plums and pure golden maple syrup.
Instead of sugar, I use golden maple syrup to gently coax out the plums’ delicate flavor.
My favorite way to crush the plums? With a cutting board. It’s quick, clean, and requires no special tools.
After soaking the plums in maple syrup and storing them in the fridge for about a week, you’ll have a light, gently sweet syrup with a refreshing tartness.
It’s perfect when served with chilled still water or soda water.
During Japan’s rainy season, when the air is heavy and the skies are dim, this quiet sweetness feels like a small act of care for both body and spirit.
And in the height of summer, the tartness of ume helps revive a tired body and restore energy.
In this video, I also share some thoughts on the importance of Japan’s seasons, and how the small choices we make in our daily lives can help preserve and celebrate them.
Ume Syrup (Japanese Green Plum Syrup)
Ingredients (for an easy-to-make batch):
Fresh green ume plums (firm and unripe): 500g
Maple syrup (golden grade preferred): 400–450ml
Tools:
Sterilized airtight jar
Two cutting boards
Instructions:
1. Wash the ume plums thoroughly, pat them dry, and let them air-dry completely.
Using a toothpick, remove the stem (calyx) from each plum.
2. Place one plum on a cutting board, and gently press it with another cutting board (preferably thick and small) to lightly crush the fruit. Repeat for all plums.
3. Pack the crushed plums tightly into a sterilized jar.
4. Pour maple syrup over the plums until they are completely covered.
5. Seal the jar and store it in the refrigerator.
*After about one week, the syrup will begin to extract the essence and flavor from the plums.
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