Crunchy with an appetizingly sour & sweet-tart flavor, tsukemono are the Japanese pickles served alongside rice and miso soup. Find out more about the different types of tsukemono you may encounter in a Japanese meal.
Tsukemono (漬物), or Japanese pickles, are preserved vegetables pickled in salt, salt brine, or rice bran. They come in varieties and forms, and you can often find one or two varieties of tsukemono being served in an Ichiju Sansai 一汁三菜 meal or as an accompaniment to sushi or as a garnish to a yoshoku (Japanese-western cuisine) dish like Japanese curry.
Table of contents
What Is Tsukemono
Tsukemono refers to Japanese pickles, which translates to “pickled things.” These pickles come in various styles, flavors, and colors and are often served as side dishes or accompaniments to meals in Japanese cuisine. The Japanese eat them with plain rice, mix it into onigiri rice balls, or pack it in their bento boxes.
The ingredients used for tsukemono can include a wide range of vegetables such as cucumbers, radishes, turnips, carrots, ginger, lotus root, and eggplant. The pickling process involves salting, brining, or fermenting, which can impart unique flavors and textures to the vegetables. It may also include herbs and spices, such as yuzu peel, kombu kelp, or red chili peppers for aroma and flavor.
Some are quick-pickled and ready to eat shortly after preparation, while others may undergo a fermentation process that takes more time.
The Role of Tsukemono in Ichiju Sansai
Sometimes, it can be easy to overlook the roles of these pickles, especially if you’re unfamiliar with Japanese food culture. Nevertheless, tsukemono is small yet mighty when it comes to its attributions. They are an essential player in Japanese cuisine, lending a range of colors, textures, and flavors to balance the main meal and render harmony. These pickles refresh the palate and provide refreshment to counter the heaviness of rich foods. They are called konomono (Kou no mono, 香の物) or “fragrant things.” Another quality they’re also known for is its many nutrients, such as vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics that benefit digestive health.
While the realm of tsukemono is almost inexhaustible – with homestyle versions to regional and local specialties, here’s what you can commonly find in many well-known Japanese dishes. Are you interested in trying the pickles or making them at home? Take a trip to your local Japanese grocery store, and you’ll most likely find the popular ones there.
Most Popular Types of Tsukemono
Below are the popular tsukemono commonly paired with rice or served in an Ichiju Sansai setting:
1. Umeboshi 梅干し
Umeboshi are pickled Japanese plums or ume (梅). Round, wrinkled with a characteristically dark pink or beige, they are made by drying, then pickling in salt under a weight. Traditionally, umeboshi are packed in salt with purple shiso leaves, which dye them a dark pinkish purple. They have a distinctive sour and sweet flavor and can be exceptionally salty. There are honey-packed umeboshi and low-sodium versions for those who prefer sweeter and less sour umeboshi.
You may have seen pictures of Japanese lunch boxes with an umeboshi in the center of the rice, which is called Hinomaru Bento (日の丸弁当) – the reddish umeboshi resembling the Japanese flag. The sour plums can also be found in onigiri, usually with their seeds removed for easy eating.
Recipe:
Koume 小梅
Another version you can find is koume. Koume (小梅), or “little plums,” are green unripe plums much smaller than umeboshi and undergo a similar preparation of salt packing. They are crunchy, unlike umeboshi.
2. Daikon Pickles – Takuan 沢庵
Bright yellow, Takuan is daikon that undergoes drying and then pickling in rice bran (米糠). Traditionally, the yellow hue is from the dried gardenia fruit (クチナシ) that’s in the pickling mixture. However, these days, commercial Takuan is artificially colored. It has a crunchy texture.
Also known as Danmuji in Korean, it is also enjoyed in Korean cuisine.
Iburigakko いぶりがっこ
Iburigakko is a regional type of Takuan from Akita prefecture in northern Japan, where the daikon is smoked instead of dried. Greyish yellow, it’s more crunchy than Takuan with a distinctive smoky aftertaste.
Bettara Zuke べったら漬け
Bettara Zuke are sweet daikon pickles hailing from Tokyo, packed with salt, sugar, rice, and rice koji. It has a sweet flavor.
3. Shibazuke 柴漬け
Shibazuke hails from Kyoto and is a variety of summer vegetables such as eggplant, cucumbers, myoga, and shiso leaves pickled together in umezu (Japanese plum vinegar). It is a common feature in Kyoto cuisine, but due to its popularity, they are enjoyed throughout Japan. One of the favorite ways of enjoying this pickle is with Ochazuke – steamed rice with tea poured over the rice.
Recipe
4. Asazuke 浅漬け
Asazuke refers to both the pickles and the pickling method. Literally “shallow-pickling,” the vegetables are pickled quickly (usually in the refrigerator) to preserve the crunchy texture. They are a favorite of home cooks as they are quick, easy, and don’t require any equipment. The most common vegetables used for Asazuke are daikon, Napa cabbage, cucumbers, and eggplant.
Recipes
You can make Asazuke by using a premade liquid solution called Asazuke no Moto (浅漬けの素) or follow the recipes below by using salt with the recipes below:
5. Nukazuke 糠漬け
Nukazuke also refers to both the pickles and the pickling method. The vegetables are preserved in a brown spicy mash of roasted rice bran (Nuka 糠), salt, and kombu, which must be turned by hand daily. The pickling can last several hours to several months, resulting in a crispy, salty, and slightly yeasty pickle. Nukazuke are rich in lactobacillus and are said to benefit intestinal flora.
Popular vegetables for nukazuke are daikon (Takuan たくあん), carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, and turnips. However, some people have pickled sliced avocados, cherry tomatoes, and persimmons.
Other Types of Tsukemono
Beyond rice and Ichiju Sansai setting, you can find tsukemono being served in another style of Japanese dishes. Here are a few that you may have seen in different contexts:
6. Fukujinzuke 福神漬け
Not quite in the Tsukemono category, despite its name Zuke (漬け = to pickle), Fukujinzuke is lightly brined in a sweet soy sauce and does not undergo fermentation. The crunchy condiment is like a chunky chutney served with Japanese curry. It features seven vegetables, its name inspired by the Seven Lucky Gods (七福神).
Recipe:
7. Rakkyo らっきょう
A pickle of the bulb of Chinese onions, Rakkyo can be pickled in salt, soy sauce, or sweet vinegar. It resembles a garlic clove but has a taste similar to shallots. You can also find it served alongside Japanese curry.
8. Ginger Pickles/Shinshoga 新生姜
Ginger pickles come in various forms and served in different settings. You are probably familiar with it as a palate cleanser eaten with sushi.
Shinshoga is young pickled ginger that is soaked in a sweet vinegar brine. It can have a blush pink color when made from young ginger, or artificially colored pink or beige if made from regular ginger.
Gari ガリ
Thinly sliced Shinshoga, called Gari (ガリ), is a sushi accompaniment. The spicy and sweet-tart palate cleanser removes the fishy aftertaste, hence its presence with sushi. The name “Gari” is said to be from the onomatopoeia of the crunching noise or the sound of a knife thinly slicing it.
Recipe
Beni Shoga 紅生姜
The ruby red julienned pickles on top of Gyudon, Takoyaki, and Yakisoba are Beni Shoga. Like Gari, Beni Shoga has a darker pink shade due to its brine in Umezu (梅酢). Its tart and crunchy texture goes well with meaty or oily dishes and adds a pop of color. While usually a condiment to dishes, it can also be battered and deep-fried as tempura.
Preserving Tsukemono
Like any ancient preservation method seen worldwide, Tsukemono has been a way for Japanese people to consume nutrients and sodium when food is scarce. With the traditional and laborious methods becoming rare, finding quality mass-produced tsukemono at the grocery stores can be challenging. Regrettably, most store brands are made with artificial starters and other additives for quick fermentation.
We can still preserve the ancient art of lacto-fermentation by making tsukemono from scratch at home. Be it a quick pickling or a more elaborate fermentation, it’d be a worthwhile project to embark on!
For more Tsukemono recipes:
- Amazuzuke 甘酢漬け
- Kasuzuke 粕漬け
- Shoyuzuke 醤油漬け
- Misozuke 味噌漬け
- Shiozuke 塩漬け
- Pickled Watermelon Rind スイカの漬物
- Japanese Pickled Cucumber on a Stick
[…] You may also want to have a read of Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles for an overview before you get started. We wish you a lot of fun venturing into the world of […]
When you asked us what we wanted to learn I said pickles and I am so happy to see your series on pickles.
Thank you for your request, Tiffany! More coming after I go back to the US… 🙂
[…] This recipe is a part of the tsukemono series that I’m introducing on Just One Cookbook. For a detailed introduction, please read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles. […]
[…] This recipe is a part of the tsukemono series that I’m introducing on Just One Cookbook. For a detailed introduction, please read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles. […]
[…] a bit from region to region in Japan is Tsukemono – Japanese pickled vegetables (Read our Tsukemono Guide). If you like tsukemono, try the different varieties you don’t normally see outside of Japan. […]
[…] If you’re interested in learning more about different types of tsukemono, read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles on my […]
Thanks for this guide! I’m really enjoying this series on tsukemono; i have a serious thing for all types of pickles. I read your post on the misozuke and can’t wait to try it, as I go through those big tubs of miso very slowly…
Hi Emilye, thank you for your comment and glad you enjoyed the tsukemono series! Hope your pickling adventures are going well!
Hi JOC,
I recently went to a Japanese chain called Yayoi that had a yellow mustard green like vegetable pickled dish at the table. I was wondering if you might know what it was called? It had sesame seeds in it too! Thank you
Hi Oko! Hmm… I’m not sure but maybe it could be Asazuke 浅ずけ (quick pickles) – a super quick pickle of some sort. Sorry I can’t be much of help!
Hi Oko, I wonder if you might be referring to takana. I think it’s a pickled mustard green that is sometimes sauteed in roasted sesame oil and garnished with sesame seeds. Maybe?
Hi Oko and Diana-chan, I think I may have figured out what you ate at Yayoiken! It’s a pickle made of Napa cabbage, cucumber, daikon, chili peppers, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. It’s their original recipe and it’s not available for purchase, but it’s called “Kizami goma hakusaizuke” (刻みごま白菜漬け). Here’s a tweet introducing this pickle from the Japanese Yayoiken official Twitter account.
[…] This topic is part of the tsukemono series that I’m introducing on Just One Cookbook. For a detailed introduction, please read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles. […]
[…] This topic is part of the tsukemono series that I’m introducing on Just One Cookbook. For a detailed introduction, please read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles. […]
[…] meal. If you’re interested in learning more about different types of tsukemono, read Tsukemono: A Guide to Japanese Pickles on my […]
The Rakkyo and Nukazuke look so pleasing to the eye. I don’t know if I can make it look that good if I tried it myself. What is the maximum variety of tsukemono that one should have when setting a table for a party of 4?
Hi Quinn!
To answer your question, it’s really up to you on how many you’d like to serve! Having one or two doesn’t make you a terrible host, also because they’re high in salt (like American pickles), your guests will probably only nibble on a few. So don’t worry on the variety, just serve which every ones you like! Hope that answered your question! -Kayoko
Nami-san — Loved your tsukemono article. A few of them bring back childhood memories as my Dad was a big tsukemono guy! So went thru the list and I don’t see my favorite… Tokyozuke. Is that a brand name or a style? I used to love eating with “Chaz”… Sansei for Ochazuke. gomenasai.
Anyway, thanks for the info… I think I’ll put some of those back in my fridge!
Thanks again, Jay kara.
Hi Jay! Sorry, this is Kayoko (one of the contributing writers) who authored this post and not Nami.
I’ve never heard of Tokyozuke, but a quick Google search showed me that it’s a product name by Shirakiku brand and not a pickling style. The image says Fukujinzuke, so your favorite has been mentioned!
Never heard of ochazuke being shortened as “chaz”!
– Kayoko
First thought, that looks just like Nijiya, then I remembered you’re in SF. I go to that spot all the time. Thanks for all the info you share, I’ve learned a lot and made some really good meals from your recipes.
Hi Matt! Thank you for reading the post and for trying out Nami’s recipes 🙂
The photos are a collaboration – the ones from Nijiya were taken by Nami and the tsukemono photos were taken by me (in Tokyo).
– Kayoko
Wow! So many wonderful different types of pickles and pickling techniques. What would you say is the most common to find on the table in an average week?
Looks so yummy!!!
Hello Emily! Thank you for your comment!
It’s hard to say what’s common, as there’s regional differences as well as personal/family preferences! My family wasn’t a tsukemono fan so it was rarely served at the table, but the universally loved (and seen) tsukemono are Umeboshi, Takuan, Asazuke and Nukazuke.
– Kayoko