5 Strangest Sea Creatures Japanese People Eat

Daniel Dominguez

Japan is an island culture and it makes sense that much of their food is derived from the endless water that surrounds them on all sides. With that said, whatever you do, never eat Shirako. * Shivers at the though of biting into Shirako, stares angrily into the dark sky * OK, I'm a little better now. Here below are some foods from the sea that we Westerners are, shall we say, less than used to.

 

Dolphins

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When we found out dolphins were incredibly intelligent animals with the ability to communicate, who love nothing more than to dance along the sides of our boats and save us from sharks, we thought, "Hey! Let's make a TV show about them called Flipper!" When the Japanese found out all of that they thought two words: GET THEM.

 

Fish Sperm

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Shirako, a common item found in most Japanese pubs consisting entirely of the male genitalia of fish- still fat with seminal fluid- loosely translated, I believe, means, "Now that I know about this I will never visit Japan for as long as I live."

 

Zazamushi

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Are you one of those people that wish you ate more things that medieval insane asylums would feel bad about feeding their worst inmates? Then zazamushi is for you.

 

Deadly Poisonous Puffer Fish

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What did the first Japanese person to eat Fugu say? "Hey look at that fish covered in fear inducing spines. I think I'll put that very spiny, painful looking thing in my mouth. Hey what do you know, it's full of poison that's very quickly taking my life. Hey honey! Come here! You gotta try this!"

 

Fish That Dance In Your Mouth While You Eat Them

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They're called Shirouo No Odorigui. It looks just like the picture above. Except in your mouth. While your teeth are crushing them. I am not joking when I say that while they are dancing they wear little tiny top hats that their grandfather gave them right before he died.

 

What food do we eat that other cultures think is weird (cough, mountain dew: code red, cough cough)? Let us know in the comments!

 

Check Out What Japan Can Make It's Hamburgers Out Of, If You Dare!

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