Ume

The town of Oyama is most famous for its ume, or Japanese plum. Ume are usually not eaten as is, but are processed into pickled plums, plum liqueur and many other products which are shipped throughout Japan, and abroad. Of course they are available locally as well. There are nearly thirty thousand ume trees throughout the town, and once a year, from the middle of February to the middle of March, Oyama is filled with the soft pink and white blossoms and intoxicating fragrance of blooming ume. At the annual Ume Festival the coming of spring is celebrated, and prayers are said in hopes of a good harvest.