Hello everyone,
My name is Kitamura, store manager at our Kamakura location.

This time, I’d like to introduce Ume Syrup made with Fully-ripened Nanko × Rock Sugar.

As it can be difficult to travel far during this season, I’ll be sharing a recipe you can enjoy at home during Golden Week—perfect for making together with children.

Enjoy the process of making ume syrup

Homemade ume syrup is simple to prepare with just ume and sugar.
Without any preservatives, the natural acidity of ume and the sweetness of sugar work together to keep it fresh.

Through osmosis, the essence of the ume is drawn out, and the syrup is ready in about one week. For children seeing this change for the first time—watching the syrup extract day by day—it’s both surprising and delightful. It gives a sense of “I’m nurturing it myself” and builds a special attachment.

And when it’s finally ready to drink, that attachment makes it taste even more delicious.

Each day, you and your child can check together: Has the sugar dissolved today? Have the ume started to wrinkle?—turning the waiting into part of the fun.

To enjoy, simply dilute the finished syrup about four times with water, soda, or your favorite mixer, and you’ll have a refreshing ume juice.

A perfect first syrup: Fully-ripened Nanko × Rock Sugar

For your very first ume syrup, I recommend Choya’s most popular choice: Fully-ripened Nanko.

While most ume are shipped while still green, Nanko are left to ripen fully on the tree, harvested only when their peach-like aroma has reached its peak.

This fruity, sweet fragrance overturns the idea that “ume are only sour,” making it easy to enjoy even for children.

Rock sugar, the simplest sugar, brings out the natural flavor of the ume. Combined, you can enjoy the true peach-like fragrance and fruitiness of Fully-ripened Nanko ume.

A child-friendly treat: Ume Jelly

As spring draws to a close, refreshing desserts become especially appealing. Here’s a simple ume jelly recipe made with ume syrup.

【Ingredients for 3 servings】

• 60ml ume syrup
• 190ml water
• 50ml hot water
• 5g gelatin

【How to make】

Dissolve the gelatin in 50ml of hot water (at least 80°C).

②Mix 190ml water with 60ml ume syrup in advance, then add Step 1 and stir well.

③Pour into your preferred containers and chill in the refrigerator until set.

You can adjust the syrup-to-water ratio to your liking.

Enjoy the jelly as it is, or try adding crushed jelly to ume soda—my personal favorite. The refreshing aroma of ume combined with the texture of jelly makes for an irresistible drink!

Through making ume syrup together, I hope children will discover the deliciousness of ume and the joy of waiting for something to be complete.

Why not spend this Golden Week making Fully-ripened Nanko × Rock Sugar Ume Syrup with your family?