Umeboshi

Plums in Wakayama prefecture rank first in Japan in terms of cultivation area (5,620 hectares (Heisei 21)) and shipment volume (68,800 tons (Heisei 21)), and are one of the prefecture's representative local specialties. Within the prefecture, it is cultivated a lot in Minabe Town and Tanabe City. Plums are shipped as Ome and processed as umeboshi, and the varieties are mainly Ome and “Nanko,” which is a type that combines pickled plums. “Nanko (Nanko)” has a soft skin and thick pulp, and is the highest grade dried plum variety, and is a representative variety of Wakayama that originated in Wakayama prefecture (Minabe Town). It is a variety that is suitable for both juice and umeboshi. Harvesting of “old castles (gojiro)” begins in early June. The pulp is thick and the seeds are small, making it suitable for plum juice and plum wine.