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Japan's climate is marked by large seasonal variations in temperature and rainfall, and before the development of greenhouses and other cultivation techniques, severe cold and heavy snowfalls prevented most Japanese farmers from growing vegetables during the winter. It was only natural under such circumstances that the practice of pickling, ensuring as it did a supply of vegetables during periods when fresh vegetables were not available, should have taken hold.
When fresh vegetables are treated with salt, their cells shrink and die, and enzymes contained within the cells break down the substances which contribute to the bitterness and inedibility of most raw vegetables, while at the same time a variety of fermentative microorganisms such as lactobacilli and yeasts begin to multiply. The result is the pickled vegetables that are referred to as tsukemono (lit., things soaked). Salt suppresses the proliferation of noxious bacteria which would otherwise cause the vegetables to decay, and thus contributes to the preservation of the tsukemono, while the yeasts and lactobacilli play an important role in mellowing the saltiness and contributing to the maturation process which results in their distinctive flavor. The Japanese enhance the flavor of tsukemono with a wide variety of seasonings in addition to salt, including rice or soy bean bran, soy sauce, miso (fermented soybean paste), saké (rice wine) lees, malted rice, vinegar, and mustard. |
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| Pickles in their many colors, lined up in a pickle specialty shop's storefront, bring a sense and are a delight to the eye. |
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| Formal kaiseki cooking and sushi using tsukemono add a new twist to the Japanese-pickle cuisine. The great variety of types and flavors comes as a surprise to many. |
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