くじらジャパン > 新着情報 > イベント > [Whale Tasting Event] Second event!
What happens when a group of overseas influencers try whale meat!?

[Whale Tasting Event] Second event!
What happens when a group of overseas influencers try whale meat!?

 
Just recently, as we have started to notice more and more tourists from overseas, we took the courage to ask overseas influencers, “Would you like to eat whale meat?” And to our delight, the proposal has been realized! It’s great to see overseas people interested in whales!

Event date: March 2, 2023

Participants in the event


Sasha
from Russia

Fliss Mehdi
from France

Influencer
from France

Amine Habes
from France

So Pim
from Thailand

Kim Yanghyun
from Korea
Cooperating Restaurant

Name: Murasaki
Phone: +81-6-6441-3871
Address: 1-15-4, Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi Osaka, JAPAN
Established in: 1952 (Famous whale cuisine restaurant)
Business hours:
[Mon to Fri] 17:00 to 23:00 (last order 22:00)
[Sat] 17:00 to 22:00 (last order 21:00)

Web site: http://www.murasaki-osaka.com/

 

Whale tasting! Let’s start!
What did you think!?

Type of Dish

 
 
[Whale Kushi-age] 
(deep-fried skewers)

Parts of the whale meat

 
 
Lean meat (back ribs)




Tokoro
Whale expert
Thank you for joining us today.
First, let me briefly explain how eating whales contributes to the SDGs.
Whales eat 4% of their weight in food per day.
If we protect only whales, the number of fish will decrease.
Also, it takes 11 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of beef, 7 times the body weight for pigs, and 4 times the body weight for birds, but whale meat is an eco-friendly meat that requires no feed.
Eat whale and contribute to the SDGs!


MC MASA
Now, please eat it while it’s still warm!


Sasha
from Russia
Delicious!


So Pim
from Thailand
What kind of alcohol goes well with whale?


Tokoro
Whale expert
Any drink will go with it, but if I had to guess, I’d say Nihon-shu(sake)!


Amine Habes
from France
What kind of Nihon-shu(sake) goes well with it?


Tokoro
Whale expert
It must be Sui-gei(Drunken Whale) (a brand of sake) (laugh).


So Pim
from Thailand
Excuse me! Sui-gei(Drunken Whale), please!


 

Type of Dish

[Hassun] 
(the seasonal dish in kaiseki cuisine)
①Hyakujou with vinegared miso paste
②Oboke with ume plum paste
③Kaburabone with sakekasu
④Wrapped back ribs with avocado
⑤Simmered red back ribs

Parts of the whale meat

 
 
①Stomach(hyakujou)
②Tail fin(oboke)
③Cheek cartilage(kaburabone)
④Lean meat (back ribs)
⑤Lean meat (back ribs)




Restaurant owner
Assorted whale delicacies.


So Pim
from Thailand
WOW!


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Let me get a picture of the Big boss with the food!


Restaurant owner
There is a charge for this service.(laugh)


Everyone
everybody laughing


MC MASA
Very fast! You has already eaten it!


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Very good!


Sasha
from Russia
It was so good I ate it right up.


MC MASA
Ms. Pim, what does that expression mean?


So Pim
from Thailand
Delicious! I’ve had it before, but this place is so good!


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Nice lean meat in the middle!


Sasha
from Russia
Stomach was the best!


Amine Habes
from France
Kabulabone with sakekasu was the best!


Kubo
Whale expert
The cartilage (kabulabone) is near the organ of spouting.


So Pim
from Thailand
(Kabulabone) Why so creamy?


Restaurant owner
It is the effect of the sakekasu sauce that is used to dress the dish.


Kim Yanghyun
from Korea
Delicious Obake with plum sauce!


Type of Dish

 
 
[Bacon]

Parts of the whale meat

 
 
Jaw meat(unesu)




Restaurant owner
Next up is whale bacon.
The plate on which the bacon is served is called whale whiskers.
It is made from a type of tooth that has evolved into a whisker shape.


Everyone
Delicious (all of them)


MC MASA
To be honest, what is your impression and understanding of whaling and whale eating in your country?


Amine Habes
from France
I think a lot of people in France think it’s a problem or negative.
But personally, I don’t have a problem with it and I’m fine with it. It’s Japanese culture and I respect it.


Type of Dish

 
[Sashimi]
①Onomi
②Kanoko

Parts of the whale meat

 
 
①Tail meat
②Cheek meat




Restaurant owner
Next comes the sashimi. Please allow it to acclimate to room temperature before eating.
This plate is also processed from whale whiskers.


So Pim
from Thailand
WOW!


Restaurant owner
I usually serve it on a plate I bought in the US.


Everyone
(everyone laughing together)


So Pim
from Thailand
Delicious! And it doesn’t even smell.


Sasha
from Russia
If they didn’t say whale, beef sashimi!


So Pim
from Thailand
The first mouthful feels like tuna, but I think it’s closer to horse lean meat and tategami.


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Yum! Like beef !


MC MASA
Well, after looking at the dishes, portions, and cooking methods so far, were there any that you would like to post on social networking sites?


So Pim
from Thailand
Sashimi!


Fliss Mehdi
from France
I think sashimi too! The color is more distinct and beautiful than regular sashimi.


MC MASA
What would you all like to post when you post about food events, travel, or restaurants, and what would your followers like to see?


Fliss Mehdi
from France
I think the point is that it is unusual and not found in France. I think that the Japanese-ness of the product will also be appreciated.


Sasha
from Russia
(When introduced by an influencer) This restaurant, which is exceptionally delicious, is the kind of content that makes everyone want to go there.


Kim Yanghyun
from Korea
(In general) Pictures of hearty ramen noodles or beautiful food would be appreciated.


Sasha
from Russia
Anyway, it’s so delicious!


So Pim
from Thailand
As Mr.Tokoro said at the beginning, it goes well with any drink!


Type of Dish

 
 
[Lean special grade steak]

Parts of the whale meat

 
 
Extra lean meat
(back meat close to the tail meat)




Restaurant owner
This steak is the second highest quality part of red meat after the tail meat. It is a quality meat that can be eaten as sashimi.


Influencer
from France
Good!


Kim Yanghyun
from Korea
Delicious!


So Pim
from Thailand
Aloi (delicious in Thai language)


Sasha
from Russia
Delicious! I’ve had whale before, but this place is nothing like the last one!
I want to come back!


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Tastes like beef, but less greasy than beef.I like it better than beef.
I want to eat again!


MC MASA
Right?
But there are many Japanese who don’t eat it.Why do you think that is?


Sasha
from Russia
Isn’t it a matter of taste?


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Like the French, some Japanese may have a bad image of whaling.
For example, I think there is a preconceived notion that whaling is a cruel method.
Then you should do PR to change the image of whaling.
Is the method of whaling really clean? and high protein and low calorie content would also have PR value.


Influencer
from France
The custom of eating whale has been gone for some time since Japanese people were children, so it must be unfamiliar to Japanese people today.
My wife used to eat it, too, but that custom is gone and she doesn’t seem to eat it now.
On the contrary, my wife’s parents are still eating it because they are familiar with it from their childhood.
For example, I grew up in Tunisia, where we habitually ate camel meat, so I am familiar with it, and I still eat camel when I visit Tunisia.
Additionally, I have seen it in Asakusa, but not often elsewhere.
I don’t think I had much contact with whale meat before I became familiar with it.


MC MASA
It is true that even we Japanese cannot eat it because it is not sold in supermarkets, and even in rare cases, it is expensive.


Tokoro
Whale expert
Why do you also think they do not sell whale meat in major supermarkets?
That is because an anti-whaling group used to be in power and was interfering with sales to major supermarkets.
Because of that memory, major supermarkets still cannot sell it.
But now, the anti-whaling groups don’t interfere so much because whales are not their source of funding.
So now is the time to change public opinion so that whale meat can be sold in major supermarkets.


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Whales are supposed to be animals that should be protected, but will Japan’s whaling change their ecological numbers?


Tokoro
Whale expert
There is a quota for whaling in Japan, and if we keep the quota, there will not be even one less fish in 100 years.
However, if we do not whaling, the number of fish will decrease rapidly.


Influencer
from France
Major foreign anti-whaling groups, such as Sea Shepherd, claim that Japan is taking too many whales.
Do you feel pressure from this?


Tokoro
Whale expert
There is no evidence for Sea Shepherd’s claims.
Japan has set quotas and whaling with evidence.
Sea Shepherd is in the business of collecting donations by interfering with whaling in the Antarctic.
Since Japan is no longer whaling in the Antarctic, it cannot collect donations to fund Sea Shepherd.
So Sea Shepherd cannot focus on anti-whaling activities in Japan.


Influencer
from France
Where is whaling now?


Tokoro
Whale expert
Whaling is conducted within 200 nautical miles of the waters around Japan.


Amine Habes
from France
There are whale conservation efforts. Are there more whales now?


Tokoro
Whale expert
Most whales are increasing except the blue whale.


Influencer
from France
What about whale meat consumption in Japan?


Tokoro
Whale expert
At one time it dropped considerably, but now it is increasing.


Influencer
from France
The image of Norwegian whaling in France is neither acceptable nor unacceptable.
But the image of Japanese whaling is bad.
Why do you think this is?


Tokoro
Whale expert
The whaling method is the same for both Norway and Japan.
If there is a difference, it is that Norway catches smaller whales like minke whales.
Japan catches larger whales, so the harpooning may seem cruel.
NHK once aired a documentary on the reality of whaling.
It was very well received by the viewers.
This was because it conveyed the care for the whales, such as the method of catching whales by killing them instantly so as not to cause them pain or fear, and not catching their parents and children.


Influencer
from France
Japan sells whale meat caught for the reason of scientific research, right?


Tokoro
Whale expert
The policy of the International Whaling Convention was that whale meat taken in research should be sold as much as possible.
Now, research whaling has ended, and commercial whaling is being conducted with a public commitment to distribute the meat as meat.


So Pim
from Thailand
After seeing the anti-dolphin fishing movie (the cove) in Taiji Town, I went to Taiji Town to see if it was really true.
I went around the educational facilities and aquarium that introduced the fishing, culture and history of whales and dolphins, and found that I had a good impression of the town, which was different from the image I had seen in the movie.
I think the bad impression people have of whaling is due to the bad image of research whaling that has been told in movies and other media.


Type of Dish

[Shabu-shabu nabe]
①Kanoko
②Lean meat
③Honnkawa
Mizuna
Tofu
(Bean card)
Osaka’s famous udon (noodles)

Parts of the whale meat

 
 
①Cheek meat
②Back ribs
③Skin + Fatty meat




Amine Habes
from France
I like the Kanoko!


Fliss Mehdi
from France
The lean meat is so refreshing, so good!


Kim Yanghyun
from Korea
Delicious skin! Interesting texture!


Influencer
from France
Do you use every last bit of the body of the whale you catch?


Tokoro
Whale expert
I use almost all of them.


So Pim
from Thailand
What part of the meat is sold in the supermarket?


Tokoro
Whale expert
If there is red meat, it is a lean meat, most likely back meat.
If you see white meat, it is bacon, which has both fat and lean meat, and it is breast meat.
Incidentally, the annual supply of whale meat is 2,300 tons, and compared to cattle, which are in the million-ton class, whale meat is very rare.


 
 

We also made guests aware of the
following things about whale!




Balenine-chan
Let me introduce you to three attractions (benefits) of whale meat that are good for our health.

First. It is healthier than chicken meat, which is said to be low in calories and high in protein.

Second. It is rich in “balenine,” which helps relieve exhaustion, improve immunity, and prevent dementia.

And third. It is also rich in DHA, EPA, and DPA, which are helpful in improving academic performance, preventing arteriosclerosis, and preventing hypertension.

In other words, whale meat is ideal in that it is very healthy compared to other meats, and it prevents aging and helps us to keep good health.

 




Balenine-chan
There are two reasons why this high quality whale is only available in Japan.

The first point is quality control before reaching the restaurants and dealers.
We catch the best kind of whales for each season in the best fishing grounds where freshness can be maintained.
We process the whales on board immediately after harvesting.

We are able to manage and deliver marine resources with the world’s best quality in the market.
Japan is the only country in the world that has achieved such a system.

The second point is the chef’s management and cooking know-how built up over a long history.
Whale eating culture has a long history, as whale bones have been excavated from ruins dating back 5,000 years.

In addition, over a long period of time, cooking methods have been developed that suit the characteristics of the parts of the whale.

Of course, this “Murasaki” restaurant has a 70-year history and is one of the best in Japan.

 


MC MASA
Has your image of whale meat changed after today’s whale-eating experience?


So Pim
from Thailand
There was a big change!
The whale meat I had eaten before was tough and had a distinctive smell, but I did not detect any of that in today’s meat.
Since it is so delicious, I think you should tell people who have never had it before.


Fliss Mehdi
from France
Today was the first time I had eaten it.
First of all, I was surprised by the texture, and I thought it was interesting that there were so many different parts and dishes.
Personally, I don’t like fat, so I prefer it to other meats such as beef.
I also saw the efforts of the Japanese whale meat industry to answer difficult questions, and I wish they would do more PR.


Sasha
from Russia
Today’s experience made me think it was delicious.
I had it before in Shikoku and it had a unique taste. The whale meat I had today was exceptionally tasty.


Influencer
from France
Actually, I haven’t changed. That is because I always thought whale meat was delicious.
I had it at a whale restaurant in Asakusa with a friend from Canada and it was so delicious that I have loved it ever since.
It was delicious again today!


Kim Yanghyun
from Korea
I ate whale meat in Onagawa Town.It was like the meat was thick.
There were many ways to cook it today, for example, there was one similar to boiled pork liver, and it was the first time for me to enjoy the taste of various meats.


Amine Habes
from France
I like experiences with originality, so this was a great one!
I don’t like the fat in wagyu beef, but the whale steak was so tasty and not too fatty!
Then the SDGs facts about whaling were very interesting and I thought everyone should know about them.




Balenine-chan
There are such a variety of parts and cooking methods for them.
You can see that there are quite a variety of parts, like cattle.

 




Balenine-chan
In Japan we take good care of this whale meat and eat it with relish.
We know that there are some people in your country and around the world who may be against the hunting and eating of whales with a high intelligence quotient.

However, from the perspective of the food chain, excessive protection of one creature because it is pitiful can damage the ecosystem.

In fact, the over-protection of whales has resulted in major changes in the oceans surrounding our country, and catches of saury, sardines, and other fish have been drastically reduced.The balance of life in the oceans has been greatly tilted by the overabundance of whales, which feed on saury, sardines, and other sea creatures.
We Japanese consume a variety of foods with gratitude.

Even though whales are delicious, we do not overhunt them, but rather we survey and keep whales within the limits of the catch in order to protect the precious gifts of the sea.Finally, from the perspective of the SDGs, let me tell you a little-known story about whaling and whale eating.

 


Balenine-chan
(1) Whaling and whale eating protect the marine environment.

As we have just discussed, too many of a particular species can lead to the destruction of the ecosystem and the balance of the natural environment.

For example, if the number of deer, whose meat is popular gibier (wild game meat), increases too much, the underbrush and young shoots of trees, which provide food for deer, will be eaten up. Mountains without plants and trees lose their ability to store water, which can lead to landslides.Therefore, in Japan, deer that exceed the number of deer that can survive in an ecosystem are exterminated, but their lives are not taken lightly. However, the lives of the deer are used as foodstuffs with gratitude.

The same applies to whales.
It is said that whales consume 3 to 6 times the amount of marine resources consumed by the earth’s population as food, and if we continue to protect whales without regard to their ecosystem, the destruction of the marine ecosystem will surely proceed.
If we continue to protect cetaceans without regard to their ecosystem, the destruction of the marine ecosystem is sure to progress, and there is even a risk that the situation could become irreversible.

Incidentally, the number of saury, sardines, and other fish in the seas around Japan has been drastically decreasing, and this has become a social problem.



Balenine-chan
(2) Japanese whaling is sustainable.

However, overhunting will reduce the number of whales too much and destroy the marine ecosystem.
From here, I would like to talk about how Japanese whaling is managed with a very conscious awareness of the number of whales surviving.

Japan has been conducting research whaling for many years to confirm the proper population and set the appropriate quota.
We have been conducting commercial whaling within 200 nautical miles of Japan. And we strictly adhere to a take quota that will not reduce the whale population by even one single animal 100 years from now.

For example, the annual quota for Kyodo Senpaku, the largest whaling company in Japan, is 25 sei whales and 187 Bryde’s whales.

In addition, the genetic material of all whales taken is registered, and only whales for which it is clear when and where they were taken are distributed and sold.


A newspaper reporter
from Britain
After this whale eating experience
What message would you like to convey in your social networking posts?


Influencer
from France
I do not think it is right to criticize other cultures through only one’s own filter without knowing various data.
As for whale-eating, I think many people have a fixed image of whale-eating based on information from the West.
However, I want my followers to judge the pros and cons of whale eating after knowing the information that comes from Japan as well.


So Pim
from Thailand
There is no whale-eating culture in Thailand, and there is no information about the whale-eating culture in Japan being passed on.
Thailand is an open-minded nation, so I wanted to spread the information that “as a traditional Japanese culture, you can have a good whale-eating experience in Osaka.
I think that will alleviate some people’s negative image.


Fliss Mehdi
from France
After hearing about the whale-eating culture in Japan and the reality of whaling, I thought that there should be more people to enlighten the public so that they would view it with more tolerance.


Amine Habes
from France
I believe whales are a sensitive topic and should be posted with caution.
I believe that even if I post with careful content, there will be antagonists.
I am prepared to do that, but I will try to refrain from personal opinions and post the food and the people eating it.


Influencer
from France
Before I came today, I conducted a survey on my social network about whale eating and 7,000 people responded.

53%→I definitely don’t want to eat it
19%→neither
25%→would like to try it
3%→have eaten it before

Although the noisy voices seem louder, the data showed that “nearly 30% are favorable toward whale eating.
For what is a sensitive topic, image and reality are different, so we should pay attention to the facts.


 

Post-event Note

The first impression all participants had of whale meat after experiencing it was how good the ingredients were and how delicious it tasted.All participants had a slight impression that it had a unique smell and flavor.

However, when they tried it, they did not feel any unique smell or flavor. They felt that each part of the meat had its own unique flavor.They even announced to each other which part of the meat they preferred.

When asked about their impressions, what everyone was most interested in was the contribution of whale meat to the SDGs and the strict control of whaling in Japan.

“It is a pity that whale meat is so delicious but is avoided by countries around the world due to prejudice.”
“Whaling contributes to the preservation of the marine environment.”
“Japan’s whaling is based on thorough research and rules to maintain the ecosystem of whales.”

Japan needs to appeal to the world more about these things.
The world should know these things about whaling.