CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON
Next time you’re looking for a fun activity for your family over the weekend, why not consider a visit to the Gala Sea Salt Factory in Yomitan?
I know you’re thinking, what’s so fun about salt?
That’s what I thought too, but let me tell you, a visit to Gala is a great educational excursion for kids and adults.
Admission is free and you simply walk around the complex and observe the stages of salt making from start to finish. There you will see a Condensation tower where the sun aids in evaporating the water, the Brewing Center where the creation of the first salt crystals begins, and finally the Solar Crystallization house, where glittery crystals are formed.
There is a also a salt bar where you can taste salts from around the world with mildly differing colors and textures, which is super fun for kids. You can also taste and purchase various special Okinawan flavored salts for eating or scented bath salts for relaxing.
Next, for 1500 yen per person, you can make your own salt. The whole process takes about 30 minutes and at the end, you have a great souvenir in a small pottery jar to take home or share as a gift with family and friends. They also have glass-blowing and ceramics experience programs as well.
Teach your kids how seawater becomes salt using a hibachi stove
Choose a decorative pottery jar for storing your salt
Finally, Gala salt factory is unique for being an environmentally friendly no-waste operation. Since we’re living on Okinawa, it’s good karma to support a local industry.
An added bonus to the excursion is that they have an ice cream shop where you can enjoy none other than caramel salt flavored ice cream- delicious!
Gala Salt Factory
Hours: Daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Phone: 098-958-3940
Address: 915 Takashiho, Yomitan, Okinawa
GPS Coordinates: 26.4086091, 127.71648140000002
We went to the Gala a couple of weekends ago. At first, I was a bit disappointed that the actual salt factory is very small and not at all a big learning experience. However, seeing the salt heating above the kilns was neat! I was impressed by the amount of things you can do there…make your own salt, stain glass, pottery, glass blowing, eat ice cream, restaurants, an amazing view! The Gala itself is free, everything else is an extra 1500 yen per person to do. So take some cash if you want to make cool crafts! Due to cash supply that day, we only made two pots of salt…but for 3000 yen, you get A LOT of salt!!
The view of the East China Sea is gorgeous as there is a ruin out on the water that I had never seen or heard of before! You can also buy tickets up at the Gala to walk through a salt “garden” down by the ocean. The cliffs in this area are so nice, and it makes for a nice time to get out and walk along the paved trail for a bit….maybe stroll with your ice cream 😉 I want to go back and try the pizzeria there, as the views can’t be beat. Will update on how the food tastes next time 🙂 Overall, I would recommend a couple of hours spent here to get out of the house and off base 🙂
** update, they do not open until 10am. They have an amazing gift shop there. Pretty much every souvenir you could think of is there. Good place for gift shopping.
So Silly: Bear with me, I am going to try to be very specific in my directions which mostly include landmarks not road names. Shortly after you turn onto Route 6, you will pass Torii Station on your left, a San-A grocery store on your right, a Max Value grocery store on your right, a Family Mart on your left, and a Lawson’s on your left. Immediately after the Lawson’s is a Kanehide grocery store (green sign with orange birds) and the road splits there. This is the Ufudo intersection. Take the split to the left and go down several streets until you see the big white sign on your right that directs you to turn left to go to the Gala Plaza, Hotel Nikko Alivia, Murasaki Mura, etc. Make that left and go down a little ways and the road will curve to the right. Almost immediately after the curve and before you get to the big red building (which is the Murasaki Mura) there will be a road that has more signs directing you to Gala, Ocean’s Pizza, etc. Turn left there and then go down a little ways and turn right onto the grounds of the Hotel Nikko Alivia. Drive down a little ways and the Gala Plaza will be on your right. I highly recommend lunch at Ocean’s Pizza, checking out all the Gala has to offer and then if you take a right out of Gala and head down to the actual hotel, you can see the newly constructed and BEAUTIFUL white wedding chapel. The hotel has 2 chapels. One that is designed in the style of the hotel and the one immediately after the hotel that is stunning. Hope that helps you find it and have fun!
How do I get there once I’m on route 6? I saw the map but it does not have the name of the other roads. Thanks for your help.
We just went last weekend and had a great time. While there, you have the option to make salt, make a blown glass cup, or even make pottery on a spinning wheel. Each event costs between 1,500 and 2,500 yen or so and are a lot of fun. Also, the salt caramel ice cream was amazing! Plus you can walk down to Sea Seed and pay to see that as well if you want to see coral being grown. The area is beautiful and since its only about 30 minutes from Kadena, it makes a great day trip!
I’ve been here and was wondering when it would appear on Okinawahai. I want to point out that Mura Murasaki is just RIGHT UP THE ROAD from this place, so why not do both? There’s a wonderful pizza shop here, as well as a little glass blowing shop and several knicknack places. The salt shortbread cookies are amazing. Buy them. There are also various sorts of rock salt on display, and different flavored salts and sugars inside where you pay your 1500Y to do the salt making.
This is very good topic.I really like to read this.