Japanese Pickles (Tsukemono): A Complete Guide

Tsukemono (literally "pickled things") are one of the foundations of Japanese cuisine. They appear at nearly every meal, from a simple breakfast of rice and miso soup to elaborate multi-course kaiseki dinners. There are over 600 regional varieties across Japan, made using techniques that range from a quick salt rub to months-long fermentation in rice bran.

What are tsukemono?

Tsukemono is the collective term for all pickled foods in Japanese cuisine. The word combines "tsuke" (to soak or pickle) and "mono" (things). Unlike Western pickles, which are almost always preserved in vinegar, tsukemono use a wide range of pickling mediums: salt, rice bran, miso, soy sauce, vinegar, sake lees, and more. Each medium produces a different flavor, texture, and shelf life.

The vegetables most commonly pickled in Japan include daikon radish, cucumbers, eggplant, turnips (kabu), cabbage, and ginger. But almost any vegetable, and some fruits, can become tsukemono.

A brief history of Japanese pickling

Pickling in Japan dates back to the Jomon period (roughly 14,000 to 300 BCE), when coastal communities used seawater to preserve vegetables. As salt production became more refined, so did pickling techniques.

During the Heian period (794 to 1185), salt-pickled vegetables became standard accompaniments to rice. Zen Buddhist monks, whose vegetarian diets required creative preservation methods, advanced the art of pickling significantly during the Kamakura period (1185 to 1333). Many of the techniques still used today, including nukazuke (rice bran pickling) and misozuke (miso pickling), were refined in monasteries.

By the Edo period (1603 to 1868), tsukemono had become a highly developed craft. Regional specialties emerged across Japan, many of which survive as protected local traditions today. The priest Takuan Soho popularized the salt-and-bran pickled daikon that still bears his name: takuan.

Types of tsukemono

Tsukemono are classified by their pickling method. Here are the most important categories:

Shiozuke (salt pickles)

The simplest and oldest method. Vegetables are rubbed or layered with salt, which draws out moisture through osmosis and creates an environment that inhibits harmful bacteria. Shiozuke range from lightly salted overnight pickles to heavily salted preserved vegetables that last months. Umeboshi (pickled plums) are a famous example.

Nukazuke (rice bran pickles)

Vegetables are buried in a bed of roasted rice bran (nuka) mixed with salt, water, and sometimes kombu, chili, and other aromatics. The nuka bed is a living fermentation culture, similar to a sourdough starter, that must be stirred daily. Nukazuke have a distinctive funky, umami-rich flavor. Common nukazuke vegetables include cucumber, daikon, carrot, and eggplant. Takuan is traditionally made using a nuka bed.

Suzuke (vinegar pickles)

Vegetables pickled in rice vinegar, often with sugar and salt. These are quick pickles with a clean, tangy flavor. Gari (the pink pickled ginger served with sushi) and benishoga (red pickled ginger) are both vinegar-based, though benishoga uses plum vinegar (umezu) for its distinctive color and sharper flavor.

Kasuzuke (sake lees pickles)

Vegetables are pickled in sake kasu, the lees (sediment) left over from sake production. The result is a sweet, mildly alcoholic, deeply fragrant pickle. Narazuke, originating from the city of Nara, is the most famous kasuzuke. The vegetables are sometimes aged in sake lees for months or even years.

Misozuke (miso pickles)

Vegetables are embedded in miso paste, which provides salt, umami, and beneficial bacteria. Misozuke tend to be rich and savory, with a soft texture. Common misozuke include daikon, cucumber, and tofu (though tofu misozuke is technically not a vegetable pickle).

Shoyuzuke (soy sauce pickles)

Vegetables pickled in soy sauce, sometimes with added mirin, sake, or dashi. Fukujinzuke, the sweet red relish served with Japanese curry, is a well-known shoyuzuke. These pickles are salty, savory, and pair well with plain rice.

Asazuke (quick pickles)

Literally "light pickles," asazuke are made by briefly salting or marinating vegetables for a few hours to a day. They are the freshest and crunchiest tsukemono, meant to be eaten immediately. Asazuke are the easiest entry point for anyone wanting to try making Japanese pickles at home.

The role of tsukemono in Japanese meals

In traditional Japanese cuisine (washoku), tsukemono are not optional. They are a structural part of the meal. A standard Japanese meal consists of rice (gohan), soup (shirumono), a main dish (okazu), and pickles (tsukemono). This pattern, called ichiju sansai ("one soup, three sides"), has been the basis of Japanese home cooking for centuries.

Tsukemono serve several functions at the table:

  • Palate cleanser between bites of different dishes
  • Digestive aid from the lactic acid bacteria in fermented pickles
  • Flavor contrast to balance rich, oily, or heavily seasoned dishes
  • Textural variety adding crunch to a meal of soft rice and simmered dishes
  • Color bringing visual brightness to the plate

In practice, a small dish of two or three different tsukemono is placed on the table at every meal. At restaurants, tsukemono are often included automatically with set meals. At home, most households keep at least one jar of pickles in the refrigerator at all times.

Making tsukemono at home

The easiest starting point is asazuke (quick salt pickles). Slice cucumbers or cabbage, toss with salt, press under a weight for a few hours, and you have tsukemono. No special equipment or ingredients needed.

From there, vinegar pickles (suzuke) are the next step. Ourbenishoga recipe is a good example of a Japanese vinegar pickle you can make at home.

For the full traditional experience, takuanrequires sun-drying daikon radish and fermenting it in rice bran. It takes more time and patience, but the flavor is unlike anything you can buy in a store.

Nukazuke (rice bran pickling) is the most involved method, requiring a maintained nuka bed that is stirred daily. It is a commitment, but many Japanese households keep a nuka bed running year-round, adding vegetables as the seasons change.

Our Japanese pickle recipes

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