Oita lucky charm "Fukuume" begins to dry in the sun August 3 at 7:36
At a Shinto shrine in Oita City, the sun-drying work of ume fruit, which makes a lucky charm of umeboshi, has begun.
At Oita Prefecture Gokoku Shrine in Oita City, there are about 200 plum trees in the precincts, and every year, worshipers use the umeboshi "Fukuume" made from harvested plums as a lucky charm.
Under the strong sunshine after the rainy season, the work to dry the sun-dried pickled ume in June this year has also begun.
Bungo plum, which is a big tree and is also used as a tree in the prefecture, is used for umeboshi, and the large one has a diameter of about 5 cm.
Characterized by its thick flesh, 500 kilos of this year's harvest were harvested.
Miko and the others who worked were carefully arranging the red-dyed plum fruits on a colander so that the sun would hit each one well.
Sun-drying can be continued for up to 3 days while occasionally changing the direction of plum fruits.
It means that the fruits will be pickled again and be worshiped in the fall.
Ms. Akane Kanemaru says, "It was hot, but we worked carefully so that the sun was exposed to the sun. I would like those who worship to eat delicious plums."