Kyuri no Kyuchan-Inspired Pickles: Sweet, Savory, and Crunchy

How I Made Japanese-Style Cucumber Pickles (Inspired by “Kyuri no Kyuchan”)

When I found some giant cucumbers at the farmers’ market—four for just 150 yen (about one dollar!)—I knew right away what to do: make homemade pickles, Japanese style.

In Japan, there is a very famous pickle called Kyuri no Kyuchan. It is made by a company called Tokai Pickles. Many people keep it in their fridge, and it’s loved for its sweet-salty taste and, most of all, its crunch. It’s like the Japanese cousin of a dill pickle—friendly, a little quirky, and very crunchy.

The cucumbers I bought were big and strong. The skin was thick, and the seeds were large. Not the best for salad. But for pickles? Perfect! And the best part: when you make it at home, you don’t need any additives. Just simple, clean, tasty pickles.

According to Tokai Pickles’ website, here is the ingridients : (from Tokai Pickles’ website):

Cucumbers (from China and Laos), ginger, shiso seeds, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sweetener, seafood extract, vinegar, protein hydrolysate, spices, salt, amino acids, acidifier, vitamin C, coloring (gardenia, red koji), and allergens: wheat, sesame, soy.

😅 That’s a lot of stuff.

Homemade Version = No Additives + Delicious

Last year I tried a few recipes, and this year I went back to one of my favorites（Japanese receipe site) and just adjusted the sugar a little. The result? Pari pari! (That’s a Japanese sound word for crunchy.) I couldn’t stop snacking. Ginger makes it fresh and a little spicy. I put in a lot of ginger, and it was very good. Please try it your way—more ginger, less sugar—it’s up to you.

🥒 Kyuri no Kyuchan-Style Pickles Recipe

I learned from this lovely Cookpad recipe (in Japanese): Original Recipe Here

Ingredients

1 – 1.5kg cucumbers (3-5 big cucumber)
2 tsp salt
20–30 g fresh ginger (cut into thin strips)
300 ml soy sauce
170 g sugar (adjust to taste)
50 ml vinegar (rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

Instructions

Slice cucumbers into 7–8 mm rounds.
Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
In a pot, bring soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar to a boil.
Drain cucumbers. Add them and the ginger into the pot, bring back to a boil, then turn off the heat.
Leave it in the pot until it cools to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).
Once cooled, remove the cucumbers (and ginger). Boil the liquid again, then add the cucumbers (and ginger) back into the pot.
Turn off the heat again, let it cool completely, then transfer everything into a clean jar with a lid.
Store in the fridge. The flavor gets better after a day or two!

My cucumbers were huge, so I peeled them a little. If seeds are too big, you can scoop them out.

At first, it looks like a mountain of cucumbers. Don’t worry—they shrink down in the pot.

Lots of ginger = very tasty!
Thin carrots are nice too, for color and sweetness.Sesame seeds? Yes, please! More crunch.

🍽️ How to Eat These Pickles

These pickles are not only a side dish. They are good with many foods!

🍛 With curry! The salty-sweet crunch goes perfectly with a warm bowl of Japanese-style curry.
🍚 With plain rice or rice porridge. Simple and very Japanese.
🧊 On chilled tofu (hiyayakko). Chop pickles, put on top. Refreshing!
🍶 With sake or beer. A great snack!
🥪 In vegan tartar sauce. Mix chopped pickles with vegan mayo. Tasty with fried tofu or sandwiches.
🧀 With vegan cream cheese. Mix and spread on crackers.
🍜 On cold udon noodles. Good cruncy topping.
🥗 In green salads. Adds soy-sauce flavor and crunch.

That crunchy-sharp texture and deep soy-sauce flavor make many dishes more fun.Please try them with your favorite meals!—you might just find a new favorite combo!

💛 Why I Love This Recipe

No additives, just real ingredients
Super crunchy and refreshing
Great with rice, noodles, or straight from the jar
Keeps well in the fridge for several weeks (if it lasts that long!)

So next time you see big cucumbers at the market, don’t walk past. Take them home and make pickles.

Happy pickling! 🥒✨