Kafu Banta
果報バンタ26°22′ N 127°60′ EViewpointGood with kids
Kafu Banta is a free cliff-top lookout in the grounds of the Nuchima-su salt factory on Miyagi-jima in Uruma, open from 9:00 to 17:30 every day. The salt company translates its Okinawan name as the cape of happiness, and it looks east over a reef that runs from deep blue to pale green.
Photo Kugel~commonswiki · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
The lookout sits on Miyagi's east coast above a reef that shades from indigo to emerald, and the company says sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs on the beach below on full-moon nights. A path through the grounds also passes a small cave under a banyan, called Mitin-uza, and a gap in the trees that lines up Hamahiga and Kudaka, which both belong to Okinawa's creation story.
Nuchima-su makes its salt by spraying seawater as a fine mist and letting it crystallize in the air, and the free tour shows the salt piling up in drifts like snow. Downstairs is the shop; upstairs, Restaurant Takahanari serves lunch and salt soft-serve.
Worth knowing
- From mid-November to early March the factory's kalanchoe flowers bloom around Mitin-uza, so winter visitors get the red blossoms at their best.
- Groups of 10 or more need to book the factory tour; smaller groups walk in.
- The lookout faces the open Pacific, and the north-east monsoon hits it hard from December to March.
FAQ
Quick answers about Kafu Bantaよくある質問
Is Kafu Banta free to visit?
Yes. Kafu Banta sits in the grounds of the Nuchima-su salt factory on Miyagi-jima, and the walk and the factory tour are both free. The grounds open from 9:00 to 17:30 every day.
What does Kafu Banta mean?
Kafu Banta means the cape of happiness in Okinawan, according to the Nuchima-su salt company whose grounds it stands in.
What are the opening hours of Kafu Banta?
Kafu Banta is open 9:00–17:30, inside the Nuchima-su salt factory grounds; no entry outside these hours, closed open every day.
How long do you need at Kafu Banta?
Plan about 15 minutes at Kafu Banta.
Can you get to Kafu Banta by bike?
Ride to the Nuchima-su factory on Miyagi's east coast and leave the bike in its car park, which holds 40 cars. The walk around the grounds and out to the lookout takes about 15 minutes.
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