It wouldn't have been. The Japanese food distribution system was still basically feudal till the early 20th century so there wasn't an effective way of preserving whale meat long enough to get it from the parts of Japan where whaling was done to the parts of Japan where it was not done. Japan was only a step away from the wild west up till the 1920's and 1930's. Foods only become "cultural" after the distribution of it is viable.DarkArk wrote:I'd just like to add that eating whale was not something the Japanese traditionally did. It was looked down upon until WWII and the occupation when it was some of the only meat they could get, and then they acquired a taste for it. So really the whole: "this is a vital part of our national culture and diet" is a load of crock.
And they distribute the crap out of it. Even considering that it is so stigmatized internationally and even unpopular nationally it's not spectacularly hard to find. There is a large farmers market / meat wholesaler about a block away from where I live in Nogata that has it as well as a couple of grocers. And Nogata isn't a place typically known for its exotic cultural flair.
And for all the various explanations that the Japanese people and Japanese government give for why they continue whaling the simplest answer to me seems to be that Whale tastes good. And it does, it tastes freaking delicious when its cooked properly. And considering that the price of whale meat isn't substantially different than that for beef, admittedly due to subsidies, I entirely understand why people buy it. But tasting good is an insufficient justification for continuing a practice that is as outdated as whaling.
Unless you meant Sea Shepherd and couldn't tell them apart from Greenpeace.
