The Japan Sea shore has been home to an original but laborious method of sea salt production: Agehama style salt. The Noto Peninsula stretching into the Japan Sea has been said to produce the best salt, from the “purest sea waters around Japan”. It was the main activity among coastal communities, replacing the rice by salt to pay taxes. It is now the only area in Japan where this ancestral salt making method has been perpetuated.

Agehama litteraly means “carrying up the beach”. Salt workers would carry sea water and bring it up to a salt field. The sea water would be spread accross the field by sprinkling it in repeated impressive swirls. It would then be left to evaporate under the sand until salt cristalises on the surface of sand. That salt will be filtered in a brine that will later be boiled until getting the final product.

Through this visit, a “Hamashi”, or salt worker, will explain and demonstrate all these steps of the salt production. Furthermerore, a small field his available when you can try yourself at manipulating the different tools, especially the addicting swirling of the sea water.

After the visit, enjoy a tasting session of the different kinds of salt produced here. You may even be tempted by an ice cream with salt, a surprisingly delicious combo.