Salted cherry blossom (sakura-zuke)

Name: Salted cherry blossom (sakura-zuke)
Total time: 4 d 30 min
Yield: 1 small jar
Ingredients: 100 g cherry blossom in small clusters, just opened; 20 g salt, plus a little extra for storing; 3 tablespoons ume (Japanese plum) vinegar or white wine vinegar

Updated on 9 October 2026

Makes: 1 small jar
Time: 30 min + 4 days
From: Japanese cherry

Ingredients

100 g cherry blossom in small clusters, just opened
20 g salt, plus a little extra for storing
3 tablespoons ume (Japanese plum) vinegar or white wine vinegar

Method

Rinse the blossom clusters gently and drain them well.
Mix them with the salt in a bowl, put a plate with a weight on top and leave for a day and a night.
Gently squeeze out the liquid and discard it.
Sprinkle the blossom with the vinegar, weigh it down again and leave in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Squeeze again and leave the blossom to dry on kitchen paper in the shade for 1 to 2 days, until it no longer feels damp.
Store it in a small jar, sprinkled with a little extra salt.

Storing: Keeps for a year in a cool, dark place.