Ume japanese meaning
The Japanese plum tree produces beautiful flowers in the spring, and its fruits are widely used as food, such as pickled plums and plum wine. The ume flower also appears frequently in Japanese poetry, painting, ceramics, and other art forms, and is a familiar part of Japanese culture.
In addition, the hibai ume is a flower that blooms from winter to spring and is considered a symbol of strength to withstand cold weather and the arrival of spring. In addition, the language of plum blossoms often has good meanings such as "purity," "dignity," and "gentleman among flowers. Therefore, having plum blossoms or enjoying plum blossoms is considered auspicious.
◾️History of Japanese Plums and Pickled Plums
- Asuka Period
The ume tree is native to the highlands of Hubei and Sichuan provinces in China. It is said that the "bird plum" was first brought to Japan from China by a Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty about 1,500 years ago.
Bird plum trees were made by placing unripe plum trees in a basket, smoking them, and then drying them. They were used to cool fevers, prevent diarrhea, detoxify, and treat wounds.
- Nara Period
Plum blossoms were also frequently used as the subject of waka and Chinese poetry, describing their beauty and fragility. Thus, in the Nara period, plum blossoms were emphasized mainly for their beauty as flowers and their cultural significance.
- Heian Period
Plum orchards continued to spread, and plum blossom viewing became popular among the aristocracy and the upper classes. Plum blossom viewing was often the subject of poetry and literature, and many waka and Chinese poems describe the beauty and seasonality of the ume blossoms.
In addition, during the Heian period (794-1185), designs and decorations imitating plum trees and plum blossoms became common, and plum designs were often used in architecture, paintings, cultural artifacts, and other works of art.
In addition, during the Heian period (794-1185), tea seeds were introduced from China, and as the tea culture flourished, plum blossoms became an important decorative element in the tea ceremony room. Ume blossoms were used in the tea room as part of the decorations and seasonal decorations in tea ceremonies and rituals. In addition, pickled plums appear in Japan's oldest medical book, "Iishinpou", as "pickled plums". It is clear that pickled plums were used by the people for medicinal purposes.
- Muromachi Period
The tea ceremony became part of popular culture, and the aesthetics of teaware and the tea room increased. In the tea ceremony, decorations that evoked a sense of the season were emphasized, and ume blossoms were treated as a particularly important element in this context. In the tea room, plum branches and plum blossoms were used as vases and flower containers to create a sense of season and atmosphere for tea ceremonies.
Rikyu paid close attention to the placement of flowers and flower vases in the teahouse and to the expression of the seasons. Plum blossoms were also considered an important decorative element in Rikyu's teahouses, and were used to symbolize the beauty and fragility of the plum tree in the world of chanoyu.
Sen no Rikyu, a tea master active in the Muromachi period (1333-1573), also sought harmony with nature and the Japanese sense of beauty through the tea ceremony, and considered ume an important element in decorating the tea room and creating a sense of the season. Rikyu himself incorporated ume blossoms into the world of the tea ceremony by holding ume-related tea ceremonies and creating ume-themed tea utensils. Therefore, it can be said that Sen no Rikyu and ume have a close relationship in the history and culture of chanoyu, and the significance of ume was further enhanced by Rikyu's spirit and aesthetic sense of tea.
In addition, literature and art flourished during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), and the ume plum was often used as a subject for waka poems and paintings. In particular, painters of the Kano and Sesshu schools left various works to express the beauty and fragility of ume.
- Edo period
Hanamachi culture flourished, and plums were deeply involved in the image and culture of oiran (courtesans) and geisha, with oiran and geisha wearing plums and ukiyoe (woodblock prints) depicting oiran prostitutes with plum blossoms.
In addition, ume was widely used in the daily lives of ordinary people. Umeboshi, or pickled plums made from ume fruit, were prized as preserves and were an indispensable part of the Edo diet. Many dishes were prepared using ume fruits and umeboshi. Dishes using pickled plums and Japanese confectionery made with plum seeds were popular, and the flavor of plums became part of Japanese food and confectionery. Ume nuts were also used to flavor dishes and alcoholic beverages, and ume wine and ume nectar were widely popular.
Hasegawa Tohaku was a painter active from the mid to late Edo period, and one of his masterpieces is "Baizu Byobu" (Plum Blossoms). It is a folding screen depicting plum blossoms and is highly regarded as an outstanding work that highlights Tohaku's skill.
The painting beautifully depicts the plum branches swaying in the wind and the fragility of the flowers, and made a great impression on the people of the Edo period. Tohaku's ume paintings were also widely used as decorations in teahouses and gardens, further stimulating the culture of enjoying the beauty and seasonality of ume.
◾️ Famous Plum Growing Regions in Japan
Nara Plum Grove (Nara-ken Bairin): Nara Prefecture is one of the oldest plum-growing areas in Japan and is home to many plum orchards. The ume groves around Nara City are particularly famous, and ume cultivation has been practiced there since the Nara period (710-794).
Kyoto Prefecture: Ume cultivation is also very popular in Kyoto Prefecture, and there are many famous plum orchards. In particular, Arashiyama and the Arashiyama area in Kyoto City and Uji City are famous for their ume blossoms, which attract many tourists in the spring.
Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture: Mitsuzawa Plum Grove in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is known as one of the three best plum groves in Japan. Yokohama City is a popular tourist destination in the spring when many ume blossoms bloom and the city holds an ume festival.
Wakayama Prefecture: Wakayama Prefecture is famous for its ume cultivation, especially Kishu ume. There are many ume gardens in Wakayama Prefecture, and the prefecture is famous for its ume blossom viewing and ume festivals.
Because of their beautiful flowers, flavor, and cultural significance, Japanese plums are an integral part of Japan's seasonal landscape and food culture.
