‘Kitchen Car’ Whale Cuisine: New Dishes for a New Generation
2022-08-29
“It makes me really happy when someone tries whale for the first time and says ‘this is really good!” ーRajiku chef Takatoyo Itahana.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: Taking Life, The Naked Providence of Nature
2022-07-24
“We give thanks that we were able to make the catch without incident. We can’t forget our gratitude for the gift of another life” ー Taiji whaling captain.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: Proud Thieves Seeking the Riches of the Sea
2022-07-06
Japanese whalers of the Edo period made huge fortunes from an ocean resource that belonged to no one. Other groups stole some meat but weren’t punished.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: A Test of Character, Past and Present
2022-06-16
Practiced in Japan as far back as 4000 BC, and humans are still chasing whales 6,000 years later, largely for a spiritual reward not measured by economics.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: The Power of the Warrior Spirit
2022-05-25
The whaling economy was preceded by a battle to overcome a giant creature which, more than profits and losses, required a spiritual vitality.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: A Natural Resource and the Start of Manufacturing
2022-05-18
Whales were resources that swam slowly through the sea. Once brought up onto land, their massive bodies were divided and used until there was nothing left.
Rare Artwork from the Baleen of Whales
2022-03-12
Artwork made from the baleen of whales has been an integral part of the culture of whaling communities in Japan and around the world, and some examples are introduced here.
Japan’s Non-lethal Whale Survey Continues in the Faraway Antarctic
2022-01-20
The ongoing recovery in the numbers of fin whales and humpbacks is becoming clearer, and observations of the blue whale indicate a recovery in that species as well.
Whale Research Drone ‘Asuka’ Debuts at Japan Drone Exhibition
2021-12-14
The use of the Asuka drone allows researchers to identify whales even in the midst of ice floes, where research vessels are unable to go.
‘Lamafa’ Documentary Wins International Film Award, ‘More than a Whaling Movie’
2021-11-05
Warming waters and the whims of the Kuroshio Current bring new fish and whales to the fishermen at the heart of Japan’s centuries-old whaling culture, and sometimes they turn out to be quite popular.