Handpainted and beautiful you can feel the little bumps of the blossoms adorning the tea cups and 22 oz teapot.
Ume is usually translated as ""Japanese Plum"" although they are really apricot trees. The plum is associated with the start of spring, because plum blossoms are some of the first blossoms to open during the year. In the Tokyo area, they typically flower in February and March. The event is celebrated with plum festivals called ume matsuri in public parks, shrines and temples across the country.
Like cherry trees, plum trees come in many varieties, many of which were cultivated by humans over the centuries. Most plum blossoms have five petals and range in color from white to dark pink. Some varieties with more than five petals (yae-ume) and weeping branches (shidare-ume) have also been cultivated. Unlike cherry blossoms, plum blossoms have a strong fragrance.The actual ume fruit is more sour than the western plum or apricot, and is usually processed in various ways before eaten. The most popular processed form is the umeboshi, a sour, pickled plum, which is usually enjoyed with cooked rice. The umeboshi has one of the most typical Japanese flavors. Umeshu, a sweet wine made of plums, is also very popular."