#06
The delicious relationship between Yaeyama Islands and Salt of Ishigaki
Human and Nature Friendly
Rich ocean that make Salt of Ishigaki
Mystery of Ocean
Even salt does not exist as salt from the beginning.
"Salt is born" from the life of nature intertwined in the background.
The most important thing is the ingredient, seawater.
Let's take a little peek into the ocean to find out the secret of its abundance.
It takes about 18 minutes by car to the west from the downtown of Ishigaki Island.
Just behind the Ishigaki salt workshop, there is the largest bay on the island, Nagura Bay.
The bay is surrounded by mountains and a home of the registered Ramsar site, Nagura Ampal.
At high tide, you may come across islanders looking for shellfish for their dinner.
The expanse of sky that spreads out in front of you is so pleasant that you may lose tracking time unintentionally.......
The largest bay in Ishigaki Island has a marine ecosystems contains a wide variety of plants and animals lives.
History of Coral and the Ocean
Why are the ocean protected?
The Yaeyama Islands are one of the best diving spots in the world. Even without going deep under the sea, beautiful corals can be seen just by snorkeling. However, corals have been exposed to the crisis of bleaching phenomenon, perhaps due to global warming and rising seawater temperatures. The environmentally conscious people on the island are taking the lead in addressing this problem.
Grateful for the power of the ocean and its blessings
Since time immemorial, islanders have lived with the sea. The ocean is a part of our lives. That is why we want the ocean to be healthy. As if in response to the wishes of the islanders, Nigura Bay is home to a lot of life. Suddenly, we noticed small corals peeking out from the beach as if they were objects of art.
They looked as if they were saying, "We will survive no matter how much the global environment changes. Lying at the bottom of the sea is the mystery of nature that transcends human knowledge. This is what infuses the Salt of Ishigaki with flavor.
Thank you to the Ocean!!
The largest coral reef sea in Japan, stretching between Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands, is called Sekisei Lagoon. Its diverse and rich coral reef ecosystem is globally valuable, and it is also regarded as the "source of coral" in Japan, supplying coral larvae to the main island of Okinawa and other islands.
The Sekisei Lagoon Coral Reef Fund seeks donations for activities to continue protecting Sekisei Lagoon and the surrounding coral reefs.
Search for the Sekisei Lagoon Coral Reef Fund!
