Umeboshi is a Japanese pickled plum snack made from ume fruit.
Ume are salted and then dried, traditionally with red shiso leaves that give many umeboshi their deep color. The finished fruit is intensely sour and salty, with a wrinkled texture. It may be eaten with rice, used in onigiri, or sold individually as a preserved snack.
Although ume is commonly translated as “Japanese plum,” it is botanically closer to an apricot. Umeboshi has been valued in Japan for its long shelf life and strong flavor. Sweetened and less salty versions are also sold, but traditional umeboshi is known for its sharp sourness and saltiness.