As Japan lacks salt resources and the climatic environment necessary for production of sun-dried salt, it has from ancient times employed a variety of methods to produce salt from seawater. In this article, along with introducing some of the many ideas and technological innovations behind the salt production methods used by our forebears and up to the present day, I would also like to introduce some of the unique cultural aspects concerning salt in Japan that stem from the perception of it as a precious and even sacred material.