While I was living out on Henza Island in 2023, a friend, Tamae Akihiro, took me to a small umibudo cultivation operation on Route 10, just outside of Yonishirohenza Town. The sea grapes farm is owned and operated by Miyoshi-san, a pleasant man who retired from many years of work as a business executive in Tokyo. Miyoshi moved back to his native Okinawa to start up his sea grape farm. Umibudo (Caulerpa lentillifera) is a seaweed that greatly and pleasantly differs from other seaweed types. Umibudo consists of clusters of small round bubbles that resemble grapes which are attached to long slender stems. They can be harvested directly from the ocean but many are cultivated in "farms" in various locations around the Okinawa Prefecture. They also occur in other Indo-Pacific areas but are known to be most predominant in Okinawa. Their taste makes them very popular for use as a topping for salads, sushi, or other local dishes. Sometimes, they're eaten as a simple snack. Umibudo have a salty flavor and, when fresh they pop when chewed as the little grapes burst. The Japanese use the term "puchi puchi" to describe the sensation of the popping. Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) recently decoded the sea grape genome to learn about the plant’s unique morphology and assist farmers in proper cultivation of the succulent seaweed. Read OIST's article [HERE] Miyoshi-san brings a cool refreshing beverage as we sat down in his office space. A sample of his umibudo. Word of wisdom for the uninitiated (like I was): Don't store these in a refrigerator! HaHa... I had bought some for the woman who lives across the street from Renga House. By the time I got home, it was late, and I didn't want to bother her. So, I decided to give them to her in the morning. Meanwhile, I had stuck them in the fridge overnight. The following morning, she asked if I had put them in the fridge (she knew) and told me to never do that. I ended up buying her another tray of sea grapes and gave them to her at room temperature. Other videos from my 2023 trip to Okinawa are here See lots more about my Previous Okinawa trips - 2019 2017 2015 2014 You can read extensive details of many other Okinawa visits in my book, "NATSUKASHII: Uchinaa nu Umui" Learn Okinawa's history with my book, "Timeline: OKINAWA" Back to ClickOkinawa.com © 1996-2025 Posted April 22, 2025. Contact: ClickOkinawa.com