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Crab Cuisine

Crab is a delicacy during the winter season in Japan. Zuwaigani, snow crab is the most sought out for its flavor which also makes it the most expensive crab on the market.

Similar to the snow crab yet less flavorful is the benizuwaigani, red tanner crab which is often seen at markets sold at a more reasonable price and in increased numbers due to the limited supply of snow crabs.

Both of these crabs are used in hot pots cooked with a variety of vegetables to bring out the best of the fresh crab. Watarigani or swimming crab are mostly eaten for not only their breast meat but what is refereed to as kanimiso, the grey green colored paste found in a crab's head.

This may sound a bit too exotic but it is worth trying this delicious delicacy which is often used in pasta. The most affordable type of crab is kegani or hairy crab which is eaten not only for its meat and kanimiso but also its soft shell.

Hokkaido is especially well known for its hairy crab. Lastly, tarabagani or king crab is technically a hermit crab but is often eaten in hotpots for its leg meat like the zuwaigani so the difference in not well known.