It has been six years since Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and resumed commercial whaling. Many consumers had hoped that whale meat would become cheaper and appear on dinner tables. This is because whale meat is a nutritious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. However, the amount of whale meat available in circulation has decreased compared to the era of research whaling. What exactly were the Japanese government and the whaling industry trying to protect?
On the other hand, the three countries strongly pushing for a “whale hunting ban” in Japan are the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Why is Japan not allowed to engage in commercial whaling when Iceland and Norway are permitted to do so? Such inconsistencies also exist.
In fact, very few Japanese people actually want to eat whale meat. According to a survey by Greenpeace, 95% of Japanese people do not particularly want to eat whale meat. It is said that the average annual consumption of whale meat per person in Japan is now 40 grams. It was quite a challenge to find images of whale sushi in our saved files.
In other words, whales may now be used as political and economic tools, transcending issues such as human food and the environment.
To put it bluntly, it may be the fault of a few members of parliament elected from constituencies with many whaling-related interests and hundreds of bureaucrats who do not want to lose their budgets.
This article is simply to show that whale sushi exists as part of Japanese food culture. Although rare today, whale occasionally appears as sushi neta (topping). So, what kinds of whale are actually used for sushi? Let’s take a closer look.
1. Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804)
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Description: A relatively small baleen whale, measuring about 7–10 meters in length.
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Use: The most commonly caught species in Japan’s commercial whaling, widely utilized for sushi toppings, sashimi, and bacon-style preparations.
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Flavor: The red meat is tender with little odor, making it one of the more approachable types of whale meat.
2. Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1879)
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Description: A medium-sized baleen whale, usually 12–15 meters long, larger than the minke whale.
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Use: Its red meat is served as sushi or sashimi, while fatty cuts and tail meat are often cooked.
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Flavor: The red meat has a richer taste with a pronounced umami and iron-like character.
3. Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828)
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Description: A baleen whale that grows 12–18 meters long. In the past, it was more frequently caught, but today only limited numbers are harvested.
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Use: The lean red meat is used for sushi or sashimi, while fattier portions are processed into bacon or fried dishes.
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Flavor: The meat is tender and relatively mild, with a clean, elegant taste.
4. Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758)
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Description: A toothed whale and one of the largest whale species, reaching 15–20 meters or more in length.
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Use: Rarely used as sushi. Instead, its distinctive fatty tissue is made into “toothed whale bacon” or other processed foods.
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Flavor: The fat has a unique aroma and a very rich, heavy taste.