I spotted this sign for a fish store in Machida, not far from Yokohama. I assumed that it advertises whale meat -- I can't read, and didn't ask. The Japanese were long vegetarian -- with the exception of seafood. Culturally, whales are classified as fish, rather than mammals; so eating them is acceptable. Or so I'm told, by my Japanese friend. Whale meat has some celebratory significance, perhaps like turkey and dressing in the US.
I've been reading "Listening to Whales: What the Orcas Have Taught Us" by Alexandra Morton. Only recently whales were hunted nearly to extinction in US and Canadian waters -- but for bone meal and dogfood, rather than for holiday dining. And, Morton says that recreational shooters and whale watchers continue to harass them. It must be tough, if you're born a whale.
