Ikizukuri: Eaten Alive

ChoppedToothpicks: The following article contains images that could disrupt your appetite. As a suggestion, we think it’s better that you read this article AFTER your meal time. But in any case, should you still wish to continue, hey, we’re not stopping you. But don’t think we didn’t warn you…

Alright.

It’s about Japan, so I guess you know this would get a bit freaky…

You still sure about this?

Okay, let’s start.

If you’re a sushi fan, then you know that when it comes to eating raw food freshness is the key. The less it’s been refrigerated, the better, more succulent, and softer the fish would be. So if that’s the case, then nothing could beat what the Japanese call Ikizukuri.

Well, it’s basically this:

Ikizukuri is a sushi-making process that basically means “served alive”. A highly-trained sushi chef would surgically slice off the flesh of a live fish, leaving all the necessary guts and organs to keep the hapless creature alive. He then quickly cuts the flesh into paper-thin sheets, “reassembles” it back to the fish’s body, and then serves it to you. Like this:

"Oh my God, I can't feel my legs!"

If you’ve watched the video, you could see that the little creature is still twitching, squirming, and finally trying to say “screw all of you” in Japanese while the customer readies his wasabi and soy sauce. Some say that it’s still alive and breathing; others say that it’s just the fish’s bodily reflex that causes it to twitch; while others (probably Japanese) say that “screw it, it’s just food.”

"Hey, there's this lose-weight-quick thing..."

In any case, Ikizukuri is a traditional Japanese cooking method. Just like tempura and sukiyaki, Ikizukuri is basically one of the many cooking methods that the Japanese use to prepare their meals. However, before you get all PETA and WWF on the comments section, this method of cooking is also controversial in the country that created it. So yeah, some of them don’t like their sushi alive and breathing as well.

Personally, I believe that once you ordered a fresh-off-the-tank fish, it’d be better if you hammer or slice off its head quickly so it’d die peacefully. I mean, I know we’re on top of the food chain and all, but a little respect on what we kill is something that’d go a long way. Hell, to take it a bit further, Lummi Indians even say sorry to their preys.

You're next.

So the next time you order a sashimi, try to make sure that the fish died a happy, peaceful and quick death.