9-11-2023 (TOKYO) In a remarkable auction held on Monday, a 1.2-kilogram snow crab fetched an astonishing 10 million yen (approximately S$89,800), setting a new record for the highest-priced snow crab ever sold in Japan’s Hyogo prefecture.
The auction took place at the Hamasaka fishing port in Shinonsen town on the first auction day of the season, with the winning bid made by Ryosuke Uemura, the 47-year-old owner of the Ryouriya Uemura restaurant in Kobe.
This sale shattered the previous record in Hyogo prefecture, which stood at around 3.15 million yen and was set in Kami’s Shibayama harbour in 2022, as reported by the Hyogo Prefectural Government’s Tajima fisheries office, according to Japanese news outlet The Mainichi.
Mr. Uemura expressed his determination to acquire the prized crab, stating, “I wanted to get one on day one, no matter what. The crabs at the Hamasaka fishing port are of high quality, and I want that to become better known. I would like to serve the snow crab to my restaurant’s patrons.”
The exceptional crustacean that claimed the record was a matsuba-gani, known as the “pine needle crab,” a name that pays homage to the crab’s long, slender legs.
Matsuba-gani refers to male snow crabs caught in the Sanin area along the southwest coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. In particular, a matsuba-gani that meets specific criteria, including a weight of at least 1.2 kilograms, is known as Hamasaka-gani kiraboshi, as designated by the Japan Fisheries Cooperatives’ Hamasaka branch. The term “kiraboshi” translates to “glittering stars” in English.
Notably, in 2019, a 1.2-kilogram snow crab was auctioned in Tottori, Japan, for approximately five million yen, making headlines for its impressive price and size, measuring 14.6 centimeters in width.
