Umeshu, often referred to as plum wine, holds a special place in Japanese drinking culture – yet it often lives in the shadow of its more famous counterpart, sake. Combining the natural sweetness of Japanese ume plums with a hint of tartness, umeshu can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or mixed into cocktails, offering endless possibilities for experimentation.

The National Plum Wine Festival at JR Hakata Station serves to highlight the beverage, with over 150 types of umeshu from brewers across the country available for tastings. This is a ticketed event, with advance tickets priced at 1600 JPY and on-the-day tickets priced at 1800 JPY, which includes 18 tokens that can be exchanged for the umeshu types on offer. Different varieties come with different token costs, so keep that in mind when making your drink selections!