In Japan, a common way to get free advertising, and to enhance the luxury image of an item, is to record a sale at a ridiculous price – which all the news outlets will then report. It happens regularly at the first bluefin tuna auction of the year.
Last year, snow crab distributors began promoting the Itsuki Boshi (Five Shining Stars) brand from Tottori Prefecture using the same ruse. Seafood distributor Kanemasa-hamashita Shoten Co., Ltd. paid JPY 2 million (USD 18,388, EUR 16,639) for one crab, and got international news coverage.
Despite the high cost for the crab, thanks to the coverage, it works out to being a good deal for the company, as even before subtracting the value of the crab from the price, the company spent less than the rate the Nikkei newspaper charges for three black-and-white half-columns of advertising space in its national edition: JPY 2,364,000 (USD 21,738, EUR 19,670).
This year, Hyogo Prefecture tried to get in on the deal. At an auction in the town of Shin-Onsen on 6 November, a bidder paid JPY 3 million (USD 27,587, EUR 24,962).
But Tottori doubled down, with Kanemasa-hamashita Shoten paying JPY 5 million (USD 45,978, EUR 41,604). It will presumably be rewarded with even more coverage. The Nikkei charges a little over that figure for seven black-and-white half-columns, which the story received in its most recent edition.
The Hyogo crab is just as good as the Tottori, but bragging rights cost money, apparently. The actual average price for live male snow crabs from Hyogo Prefecture is JPY 25,000 (USD 234.50, EUR 215.92) per kilogram. Excellent specimens may go as high as JPY 80,000 (USD 735, EUR 664) per crab. A single male snow crab typically weighs a little under a kilogram, with females significantly smaller. Females run from JPY 800 to 1,500 (USD 7.35 to 13.79, EUR 6.65 to 12.46) each. Prices run high at the start of the season and decline as the season progresses.
Shimane, Tottori and Hyogo prefectures are the areas most renowned for their snow crab fisheries. Much of the catch is sold live or served at local traditional Japanese inns, forming the draw for gourmet tours – especially popular from Osaka, which is within a couple of hours by train. Frozen snow crab sold in Japan is mostly from Hokkaido, Russia, and Alaska.
Photo by Chris Loew/SeafoodSource
