Japanese pickles are called “tsukemono”.
Japanese pickles, a traditional Japanese preserved food.
It has a unique texture and odor.
When you eat Japanese pickles, you will experience an unknown world.
Japanese pickles, which is the washoku that Japan is proud of.
As a Japanese, I will teach you the knowledge of Japanese pickles.
Introducing various Japanese pickles that you can buy in Japan.
Introducing places where you can easily buy Japanese pickles.
There are many pictures of Japanese pickles.
It’s fun just looking at the pictures.
Definition of Japanese pickles
Japanese pickles are processed foods made by pickling vegetables and other ingredients in salt, miso, jiuqu, sake lees, vinegar, and others.
Most Japanese pickles are vegetables, but there are also pickles of meat, fish, and cheese.
The best-by date for Japanese pickles is about 7 days if it is short, and about 1 year if it is long.
Japanese pickles are very well preserved.
There is a story that I was able to eat Japanese pickles over 100 years ago.
Japanese pickles are also great as souvenirs for your trip.
History of Japanese pickles
It seems that Japanese pickles existed about 2000 years ago.
At that time, Japanese pickles used to pickle food with salt.
About 1300 years ago, Japanese pickles using miso and other ingredients began to be made.
About 400 years ago, a Japanese pickle specialty store appeared.
Around this time, Japanese pickles spread to the general public.
Types of Japanese pickles
“Asazuke”
Japanese pickles made by soaking ingredients in seasoning liquid for a short time such as several hours.
Most of the ingredients used are vegetables.
We use various vegetables such as eggplant, cucumber and Chinese cabbage.
Seasoning liquid has various flavors such as salt, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Since the time to soak the ingredients is short, the taste is light and not too habitual.
It has a slightly hard texture because the water in the ingredients is removed.
Nukazuke
Nukazuke is a Japanese pickle made by pickling vegetables in a salted rice bran.
The ingredients used are generally cucumbers, eggplants, and radishes.
It has a salty and sour taste, and has a unique taste and smell of lactic acid fermentation.
Kasuzuke
Kasuzuke is made by soaking ingredients in sake lees and mirin lees that are made after squeezing sake.
It is a Japanese pickle that you can enjoy moderate sweetness and saltiness.
Vegetables may be pickled, or fish and meat may be pickled and grilled.
The famous Narazuke is a type of kasuzuke.
Japanese pickles of vinegar
Japanese pickles made by soaking ingredients in vinegar.
Most of the ingredients used are vegetables.
You can enjoy the refreshing taste.
There is also sweet and sour sauce pickles that use a seasoning liquid made by adding sugar to vinegar.
You can enjoy the sweetness of sugar and the saltiness of vinegar.
Many of the ingredients that can be pickled in sweet and sour sauce are vegetables.
There is also Nanbanzuke, which is made by adding chili pepper to vinegar to give it a spicy taste.
Most of the ingredients in Nanbanzuke are grilled fish and meat.
The sourness of vinegar and the spiciness of chili peppers remove the odor of fish and meat.
Typical Japanese pickles
Umeboshi
Umeboshi is a Japanese pickle made by pickling plums in salt.
The best-by date for pickled plums is about six months to one year.
The best-by date of pickled plums changes depending on the salt content.
Umeboshi with a low salt content has a short expiration date.
Some umeboshi have a best-by date of about two weeks.
Umeboshi can be used as an ingredient in rice balls or in Japanese bento boxes.
Umeboshi is a Japanese pickle that is very familiar to Japanese people.
Umeboshi is sour, so eat it little by little.
Takuan
Takuan is a Japanese pickle made by pickling radish with salt and rice bran.
The best-by date of Takuan is about half a year to a year.
The expiration date changes depending on the salt concentration.
Takuan is often included in Japanese bento boxes.
Takuan is often served when eating Japanese food at Japanese restaurants.
Takuan goes well with Washoku.
Takuan is pickled in rice bran, so it has a unique smell.
Where to buy Japanese pickles
Japanese pickle specialty store
You can buy various pickles at Japanese pickle specialty stores.
The price of Japanese pickles starts from around 200 yen.
The taste and method of making Japanese pickles differ depending on the region.
You can buy pickles from various regions at Japanese pickle specialty stores.
There is also a pickle specialty store that sells Japanese pickles only in that area.
convenience store
You can also buy Japanese pickles at convenience stores.
Japanese pickles that are popular with Japanese people such as pickled plums and takuan are sold at convenience stores.
The price of Japanese pickles starts from around 100 yen.
Japanese pickles at convenience stores are sold in small packs.
It’s just the right amount to eat alone.
Japanese pickle specialty stores are more delicious, but there are many convenience stores in town so you can easily buy them.
The charm of Japanese pickles
Japanese pickles with a strong scent and Japanese pickles with a weak scent.
Japanese pickles with a strong taste and Japanese pickles with a light taste.
There are various types of Japanese pickles in Japan.
Why don’t you try the mysterious Washoku Japanese pickles?
Thank you for reading to the end.
I hope this article has helped you.
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