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::Eating Means Preserving::  Whale Lecture Given By Dr.Whale

Whale as a cooking ingredient

From ancient time about Heian era, Japanese people hunt whales as a precious resource of food.
Whale meat had been long time appreciated as preserved food than other fish when marinated in salt.
There is no part of whale practically to be wasted - from head to tail such as organs, hongawa (skin with fat patty), and tail fin - on top of its delicious taste.

Whalemeat (red meat, hongawa, unesu) contains...

Higher proteins than beef, pork or chicken.Lower fat than beef, pork or chicken.Rich in vitamin A (vital to immune system) and blood creating iron.

Parts of whale meatParts in red font will direct you to each shopping site corresponding.

The top 8 selected whale dishes in Ishiki restaurant.

Safe Reliability of Whale

* The report of intoxication in whale species [http://www.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/2003/01/h0116-4.html]

PCBs (ppm) total amount of mercury(ppm) methylmercury(ppm)  
part muscle fat muscle fat muscle fat
Minke Whale
(Southern Ocean)
0.0002 0.058 0.027 NA NA NA
Minke Whale
(Northwest Pacific Ocean)
0.03 1.8(note1) 0.20 0.0 0.12 NA
Bryde’s Whale
(Northwest Pacific Ocean)
0.02 0 0.05 NA 0.03 NA

note1 : The numbers above the legislated limit NA : unanalyzed

[Comments from Dr.Whaleman]

In fact, the scientists revealed during the research whaling that there are scarcely the accumulations of heavy metals or the organochlorinated compounds in the minke whale’s organ.
This is because the Southern Ocean itself carries few toxic materials such as mercury.
So, it is said that whales in the Southern Ocean are safe to be eaten by means of sashimi or yukhoe. Need a proof? Please come and try our whale yukhoe in Ishiki restaurant!

Whaling As Preserving

[Comments from Dr.Whaleman]

I guess many of you would think the anti-whaling is world’s ongoing trend, but I’ll tell you what.It is very far from the truth.
Originally, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was signed in 1946, and the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established.
As of today, most of the IWC joining countries agree with whaling because the research scientifically conducted has proven that the overwhelming whale’s self reproduction may become the virtual threatening to our marine food resource and the entire marine eco system itself.
To reveal this result, the number of countries that admit the sustainable whaling has been increasing under circumstances that our food provision is said to be scarce in the future.
So, my goal is, to establish the world to acknowledge the importance of whaling, and the preservation is the most important thing for both whale and the Japanese food culture.

September 4th is the day of whale

Since 2012, September 4th has been taken granted as the official commemoration day by Japan Anniversary Association.
Institution of Cetacean Research emphasizes September 4th is the day that we take a moment to think about how human and whale can live together.
They also mentioned the preservation of whale is necessary for an indigenous Japanese food culture.

[Comments from Dr.Whaleman]

…So now, please be aware of September 4th every year, and keep your eyes on the whale events happening at all the restaurants of Kotobuki group!!

Media Relations - Archives

* As a guest in Radio Program " Maki Shimogaki’s SKO Hour " [http://fma.co.jp/st/view.php?id=sko&p=2&c=&y=2012&m=05]

* Radio " R-StYLE SHOP " [http://fma.co.jp/st/view.php?id=r-style1&p=2&c=&y=2011&m=12

* Dr.Whaleman’s Column [PDF files]



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