Event to Promote Whale Meat Products Held at Tokyo Station; Various Products on Sale Including Frozen Dumplings Made with Whale Meat

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:19 JST, October 24, 2024

The Tokyo whale club, an event featuring whale meat products such as whale meat al ajillo, kicked off at Gransta Tokyo, a commercial facility at JR Tokyo Station, on Tuesday.

The event, to be held until Oct. 29, was organized for the first time by whaling company Senpaku Co. in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, to promote the deliciousness of whale. About 30 products, including frozen dumplings made with whale meat priced at ¥900 (including tax) and rice flour bread with whale meat powder priced at ¥350 (including tax), were prepared to make whale meat more accessible to the public.

A 28-year-old woman from Kofu who bought a can of whale tongue stew said, “This is my first time eating whale. I am looking forward to eating it with my parents, who used to eat whale meat for school lunches.”

Commercial whaling resumed in 2019, but consumption of whale meat continues to stagnate. “I hope everyone will try the soft whale meat which has a less pungent smell and completely different from the tough whale meat of the past which had a distinctive smell,” said Hideki Tokoro, the 70-year-old president of the company.

The event is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (until 6 p.m. on Oct. 29).