First Time Seeing Ume Blossoms? What Ume Is, When to Go, Etiquette and Getting There from Tokyo

Ume (Prunus mume, often called Japanese plum or Japanese apricot) is a tree thought to have come to Japan from China. It flowers while it is still cold. If this is your first time going to see ume blossoms, here is what ume is, when to go, how to behave in a plum grove, and how to get there from Tokyo.

What is ume?

• The flowers: at most famous groves the best time is February to March — earlier than cherry blossoms, and with a sweet scent. See Ume vs Sakura to tell them apart.
• The fruit: ripens in the rainy season (around June) and becomes umeboshi (pickled ume), umeshu (ume liqueur) and ume syrup. Green ume contain natural toxins (cyanogenic compounds), so they are not eaten raw (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan).

When to go

Bloom times differ a lot by place and by year. Atami Baien, for example, is usually at its best from early January to early March, and Yushima Tenmangu from mid-February to early March.

• Usual season at each spot: Plum blossom calendar
• How the blossoms are doing this year: Bloom reports
• Festival dates: Plum festivals

Etiquette

• Don't break branches or pick flowers or fruit.
• Don't climb the trees or pull on branches.
• Stay on the paths and keep out of closed areas.
• Take your rubbish home with you.
• Rules on tripods, drones and pets differ from garden to garden. Check each spot's official information before you go.
• Festival weekends can get crowded. Going by train or bus saves looking for parking.

Getting there from Tokyo

• In central Tokyo: Yushima Tenmangu (about 2 min on foot from Yushima Station exit 3, Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line) and Hanegi Park (5 min on foot from Umegaoka Station, Odakyu Line).
• Day trips combining several spots: Three plum blossom day trips from Tokyo
• With an overnight stay: Atami Baien is about 15 min by bus (bound for Baien / Ainohara) from JR Atami Station, and Atami is a hot-spring town. Each spot page lists places to stay nearby — for example Atami Baien and Kairakuen.

Umeboshi as a souvenir

Umeboshi are a local speciality in many regions. See How to choose umeboshi for the kinds. If you take food home from Japan, the rules on what you can bring in differ by country, so check your destination's rules.