Director: Keiko YAGI
Cast: Mitsuo TANI, Eugene Lapointe (Former Secretary General of Washington Convention) /

Geneviève Desportes (Secretary General of North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission) /

Shinji HIGUCHI (Filmmaker of Shin Godzilla)

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Genre: Documentary

Theatrical Release in Japan: 2023

[2023 / Color / HD / Stereo / 77 min. / Japanese with English subtitles]

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[Synopsis]

Ichinoya, a restaurant in Tokyo specializing in whale cuisine, and owner-chef Tani come from Ishinomaki City, home to Japan's largest whaling base. In the 1950s, whale meat was a valuable source of protein for the Japanese, and was consumed more than beef or chicken. Today, however, its consumption has dropped to 1% of what it was then. Tani, however, attracts many customers with the high nutritional value of whale meat and the many variations of its recipes. His way of life and his skill have been covered by major media such as CNN and BBC. Through this restaurant, this documentary will scientifically explore the appeal of whales, touching on whale-eating culture and environmental issues.