Recommended Okinawa road trip! A unique experience – the Okinawa Vineyard.

Today we visited a very special sea grape farm in Itoman City, Okinawa: Uminchi Sea Side Park. Located on the southern coast of Okinawa Island, this sea grape farm boasts a stunning view of the vast sky and sea from its entrance! Besides the farm, it also offers a variety of Okinawan-style experiences, including a cafe, water activities, BBQ, camping, and guesthouses. We participated in a sea grape picking experience today, perfect for family trips and getaways with friends and family in Okinawa!

Sea grapes are one of Okinawa's representative seafood products. They are an edible algae with a fresh seawater flavor and a clean, refreshing taste, and are also known as "the jewel of the sea" and "green caviar." Sea grapes are rich in nutrients, containing calcium, iron, vitamins, and various minerals. They are effective in boosting immunity, beautifying the skin, and anti-aging, and are extremely low in calories, making them very popular among Japanese women.

First, we visited the Uminchi sea grape farm. Sea grapes are very delicate and difficult to cultivate in the wild, so the sea grape industry does not rely on wild growth but is cultivated. Clean water, warm water temperature (20-25 degrees Celsius), and ample sunlight are all necessary conditions for the growth of sea grapes.

The tour guide explained the growth process of sea grapes in great detail, and showed us sea grapes that had grown for 4 days, 2 weeks, and 1 month. Ample sunshine gives the sea grapes a beautiful emerald green color, and the round, plump berries are delicious. The ideal time to harvest them is when they grow to 10-15 centimeters. We also got to touch the sea grapes in the cultivation tanks ourselves, which was a lot of fun and exciting!

Next, it was our turn to pick sea grapes ourselves! The sea grapes in this cultivation pond were growing lushly and densely. The guide taught us to hold the sea grape at the base with our index finger and thumb, palms facing outwards, and pull upwards forcefully to harvest it. Then, we carefully selected the sea grapes, choosing those that were 10-15 centimeters long. Sea grapes that were too short, too sparse, or unevenly colored would be put back into the cultivation pond for further growth.

Next up was the "Sea Grape Scooping Game" (海ぶどうすくい). Similar to the Japanese goldfish scooping game, you use a paper net to scoop up fresh sea grapes. If you successfully scoop up all the sea grapes within the two-minute time limit, you can take them home to enjoy! The paper nets are very fragile, so skill is key. This was the part everyone looked forward to, and everyone participated wholeheartedly. Our group successfully won seven boxes of sea grapes, leaving with a full load!

*Sea grapes cannot be put in the refrigerator. If you want to bring them on a plane, it is recommended to put them in your carry-on luggage.

Next to the Uminchi sea grape farm is a white wooden house that doubles as a cafe and shop. Here, you can enjoy freshly picked sea grapes and their famous sea grape soft serve! The fresh sea grape set includes both the stem portion and the round, plump body. Using the stem portion of the sea grape as a dish is quite rare, but it has a chewy texture. The round, plump body has a rich seawater flavor, and the natural seawater taste bursting in your mouth is incredibly satisfying! Paired with yuzu vinegar, it's a truly appetizing treat.

Sea grape soft serve is a must-try signature dessert at Uminchi, with only 50 cups available daily. It's made with carefully selected freshly picked sea grapes, blended with milk soft serve. You can see the distinct sea grape pieces in the ice cream; one bite releases an explosion of briny flavor, perfectly complementing the sweetness of the milk. The salty-sweet taste is irresistible, making it impossible to stop eating until it's all gone in a flash.

Besides these, the cafe also offers many interesting memmu dishes, such as sea grape raw egg rice and sea grape buckwheat noodles. Seeing the bowls covered with sea grapes makes your mouth water! The cafe also sells a variety of other items, including fresh sea grape sets, sea grape buckwheat noodle sets, and unique sea grape farming sets, which would make great souvenirs.

Uminchi also offers camping, BBQ, water activities, and guesthouse services, allowing everyone to leisurely enjoy their trip. It's perfect for family trips and road trips, where you can fully experience and taste one of Okinawa's specialties: sea grapes. Away from the city center and close to the vast ocean, the sea breeze is incredibly refreshing and soothing, making it hard to relax.

Uminchi Sea Side Park

📍 〒901-0362 1931, Maori, Okinawa Prefecture, Shiman City

▶ Uminchi