Discover Wonderful Whale Traditions: Stamina Soup and Salted Whale Skin

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Summer in Niigata has a distinct flavor: salted whale skin. Demand rises sharply as temperatures climb, and many residents still turn to whale soup as a stamina dish. "My parents make it every summer," one local said. Another added, "I still order it at izakaya."

In 2022, the Niigata City Central Wholesale Market handled 23,800 kilograms (about 24 tons) of marine mammals across fresh, frozen, and salted-dried products. They generated ¥69.7 million JPY ($474,000 USD) in sales. These included minke, Baird's beaked, short-finned pilot, and Bryde's whales, and bottlenose dolphins. Annual volume has hovered around 30,000 kilograms since 2018. However, 2024's supply of salted whale skin was tight, creating headaches for buyers.

Hiroyuki Suzuki, assistant section chief in the Frozen & Salted Division at Niigata Reizo Co, Ltd, has handled whale products for two decades.

He says Chūetsu (central Niigata) leads with about 50% of salted whale skin sales, followed by Kaetsu (north, 30%) and Jōetsu (south, 20%). Demand is especially strong in Chūetsu's inland mountain areas.

Prices have shifted, too. "Salted fin whale skin is now about 60% of its previous level and roughly on par with minke," Suzuki noted. Looking ahead, he adds, "It's important to help children feel closer to whale cuisine. Events and school lunches can play a key role."

Welcome to Whale School

At Jōgehama Elementary School in Jōetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, a sign reads "Welcome to Whale School," and the building features the whale mascot Yelley-kun. 

The story begins on March 13, 1912, when a 30-meter-long whale beached at nearby Mitsuyahama Beach. The species remains unknown. Local residents processed the whale with hatchets and saws, and women from the village carried the meat as far as Nagano Prefecture to sell it. The proceeds were enough to pay off the school's building debt.

"Students are taught to never forget the gratitude owed to their predecessors," said Vice Principal Eiji Ubagai. "Each year on the stranding's anniversary, they hear from Jinzou Kobayashi, author of the book, Whale School, and carry on the community's affection for the school." A small whale museum is also housed within the school. Students compile what they learn and share it on the school's website.

In the past, fifth graders even cooked whale soup to share. On the day of our visit, Special Education Assistant Masako Kato prepared a pot for tasting. "My family loves whale soup too. I slice summer vegetables like bottle gourd, add them, and then freeze the soup so we can enjoy it all year. Starting around June, we eat whale soup to build stamina for the summer," she said. That day, the school's teachers also enjoyed her soup.

Popular Stock

A few steps from the Niigata City Central Wholesale Market, food wholesaler Shinjirushi Shokuhin Co stocks salted whale skin year-round. "Customers know they can find it here," says the company president, Hiroyuki Saito.

A longtime whale meat enthusiast, Saito outlined local preferences: "For thickness and texture, people choose fin whale first, then minke, with the more affordable Baird's beaked whale as another option." He added, "I love miso-marinated whale skin — I even make it at home." Despite broader food price increases, he said, whale meat is relatively budget-friendly now.

At Daiei Gyorui Co, a major market supplier, Maki Yamada, assistant section chief in the Frozen & Salted Division, is also hopeful. "We couldn't secure enough supply in 2022 or the year before," she said. "With the pandemic easing, we expect to have more to offer this year."

One of Yamada's recommendations is Kappo Yamami, a local kappō restaurant run by Shigeki Yamada. Whale soup isn't on the menu in March, but the restaurant serves miso-marinated fin whale skin — slices cured in miso and thinly cut. Each bite releases a burst of rich, savory fat, balanced by the miso's mild sweetness.

Salted Whale Skin, in Many Varieties

Inside the Fresh Fish Center at Michi-no-Eki Niigata Furusato Village, Marine Co also offers salted whale skin year-round. "People know they can always find it here," said Taichi Tachikawa, manager. Roughly 70% of customers are local and 30% are tourists. Occasionally, the shop sells its house-made miso-marinated whale. "Sales peak in summer, but it still sells in winter," Tachikawa said. "Some customers even buy whole blocks."

In Chūetsu (central Niigata) — a region with a strong whale-eating culture — the city of Nagaoka stands out for both size and appetite. At the Nagaoka branch of national seafood chain Kakujoe Gyorui Holdings, Bryde's whale red meat was available. "It's delicious even as a rare steak," said store manager Munehisa Konoma.

Asked about salted whale skin, Konoma said, "We start selling it around late June. Whale soup simmered with summer vegetables is a stamina-boosting dish for the hot months. In the mountain areas, they cook it with added fat — my grandmother used to make it that way."

'We'll Keep Whale Cuisine Alive'

Founded in 1966, Ganso Kujiraya is a whale specialty restaurant. "In summer, whale soup is treated as a stamina dish," owner Tsuyoshi Igarashi says. "Fin whale has thick skin with clean, tender fat and little odor. That's what makes it ideal. The soup is typically made with vegetables like eggplant and bottle gourd, which soak up the richness."

He also compared species: "Bryde's whale has robust, full-flavored red meat." There are special techniques for bringing out the best in each cut, he explained.

"The past three years were tough, especially during COVID-19, but customers are returning. Now they're about 70% of pre-pandemic levels," he said. Reservations are recommended.

He recalled an earlier downturn: "When anti-whaling campaigns in Antarctic waters intensified, sentiment toward eating whale cooled and business fell to about one-fifth of what it had been. No matter how hard things get, I'll continue to protect the culture of whale cuisine."

Do You Know? Miso-Marinated Whale is a Local Specialty

Whale soup made with fin whale skin is a classic summer stamina dish. Often simmered with seasonal vegetables like eggplant and bottle gourd, it uses a miso-based broth, rather than a stew. This is different from the whale soups common in southern Hokkaido.

Miso-marinated whale skin, another specialty, has a milder aroma than some whale meats. It offers rich, savory fat.

Niigata's whale-eating culture is often traced to the Kitamaebune shipping route, and alongside whale soup, miso-marinated whale has become part of the region's traditional cuisine.

At the Aoume Shopping Center in the Platto Honcho arcade (Chūō Ward), six shops offer fresh seafood and dining. Among them, Honcho Suzuki Fish Market (headed by Tadashi Suzuki, its president) sells items such as a full cut of salted fin whale skin (815g) and 40g packs of miso-marinated slices.

(This report, also published on Whaling Today, is brought to you in cooperation with the Institute of Cetacean Research in Japan. A version of it was first published in Japanese in the Suisan Keizai Daily News on March 24, 2023. Let us hear your thoughts in our comments section.)

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Author: Suisan Keizai Daily News

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