Microseason: Plums Ripen Yellow

June 16th to 20th marks the microseason known as Plums Ripen Yellow, 梅子黄 Ume no mi kibamu. It is the third and final microseason of the solar term "Planting Seeds".  As the name suggests it is the period when hard green ume plums soften and turn yellow. 

Around this time of year 'plum work' begins - a period when people turn ume plums into syrups, pickles and liqueurs. However, for me personally our 'plum work' was well finished before the "Plums Ripen Yellow" micro-season this year. We harvested our plums early and they soften earlier than normal too. 

During the "Plums Ripen/ Turn Yellow" micro season it is also rainy season in an average year. The rainy season is called "tsuyu" in Japanese and it literally means "plum rain", exactly because it is Japanese / ume plum season too.

This year