---
title: Sea grapes and mozuku
url: https://karigurashijourney.com/en/notes/sea-grapes-and-mozuku/
lang: en
journey: https://karigurashijourney.com/en/episodes/okinawa-kominka/
---

# Sea grapes and mozuku

A little of each town’s story　/　Motobu, Okinawa

Sea grapes (umibudo) rank third among Okinawa's aquaculture products in both volume and value. Mozuku seaweed has been farmed in the prefecture at 13,000 to 21,000 tons a year since fiscal 1999, and more than 95 percent of Japan's mozuku comes from Okinawa. Both are grown in the coral-reef waters around the islands.

## This moment in the journey: Fried gurukun at a local diner

For lunch I went to a local diner for a typically Okinawan set meal. First, umibudo sea grapes, with a bottle of Orion to pour alongside. I picked the crunchy little beads out of the bowl with my chopsticks.

From the chalkboard menu I chose fried gurukun, Okinawa's prefectural fish. Sashimi on a bed of ice and mozuku seaweed tempura came with it. The gurukun was fried crisp and delicious from head to tail, and the mozuku tempura was superb too.

![A bowl of sea grapes and a glass poured from a bottle of Orion](https://karigurashijourney.com/img/okinawa-kominka/s50-1200.jpg)
- Sources: https://www.pref.okinawa.jp/fish/kenkyu/suisankairyo-data/hukyuu_h27/89-90.pdf
- Sources: https://www.pref.okinawa.jp/fish/kenkyu/kankobutu/suikennews-data/osnews8.pdf

Read this scene in the full journey: https://karigurashijourney.com/en/episodes/okinawa-kominka/