This is the Daimatsu Shiso Maki Kanro Ume, consisting of sour plums and apricots wrapped in red shiso leaves and soaked in plum vinegar. In the Tsugaru region, locals have traditionally referred to anzu apricots as anzu ume plums and have consumed them as umeboshi. As a result, both apricots and plums are used in this regional specialty.

When red shiso leaves are layered, soaked in plum vinegar, and pickled with salt, the anthocyanins they contain react with the acid, turning them a bright red. Shiso-maki umezuke consists of umeboshi wrapped in these leaves and pickled in sweet vinegar. It is said to have been developed to preserve the delicate umeboshi during transport, particularly around the time of the Russo-Japanese War.

Each piece measured approximately 3.5 cm in diameter and 2 cm in height, with the red shiso leaf wrapped around the pink-red umeboshi.

On tasting, the shiso maki, when eaten alone, had a pronounced alcohol sharpness and bitterness that overshadowed the otherwise vibrant ume flavour. This was consistent with how it was served as a side dish in many restaurants across the Tsugaru region. However, when incorporated into dishes such as ochazuke, where its intensity was tempered by the broth, it offered a well-balanced and complex profile. The sweet-savoury interplay was complemented by a subtle liquorice note and a slight spiciness, adding depth.

Overall, this shiso-maki umezuke provided a refreshing sweetness that complemented many traditional Japanese flavours, making it particularly well-suited for revitalising the palate and stimulating the appetite.

This Daimatsu Shiso Maki Kanro Ume contained 330 g (8 pieces). It was produced in Japan and purchased in Matsushima, Japan in 2024.