EXPO2025　Let’s polish the shells!　Welcome to Japan, the land of seafoods!　

EXPO2025　What is shellfish?

When we hear the word “shellfish,” many people probably think of clams, mussels, and turban shells.

In fact, shellfish can be broadly divided into bivalve shells and conch shells.

Bivalves are, as the name suggests, shellfish that have two shells.

 

Only soup made from bivalve shells can be called clam chowder, so if you make chowder using turban shells, it can’t be called clam chowder!

 

A snail is the turban shell that rolls up, and abalone, which looks like one piece, is actually a conch shell.

Beautiful abalone shells.

Japan’s traditional female divers（called Ama diver）

I brought abalone shells that I got from Toyosu Market.

By the way, I asked a female diver friend called 「Ama diver」, and she told me that if the abalone are too big, they sometimes don’t even bother to pick them in the first place because they can’t be peeled.

This is because they are too strong to be caught, and if you try and injure them, they might get eaten by other creatures.

Also, even if they find a lot of abalone, they sometimes leave some behind. This is because they won’t be able to catch more the following year unless they lay eggs and multiply. When I heard this, I was impressed by how skillfully they were able to pick them so that the number doesn’t decrease.

Abalone and turban shells are harvested in such a wonderful way. But did you know that when you remove the meat from abalone, it has a beautiful, sparkling color?

 

Today I’ve prepared a shellfish called Danbeikisago, also known as Nagarami, which is in the same snail family as Sazae-san（Top shells）.

Many people boil it, eat it, and then throw it away, but today I haven’t thrown it away.

I’ve brought the shell with me, so I think I’ll have it scraped down.

Let’s polish the shells!

Use the entire file to scrape it down in a circular motion.

Use the entire file widely to scrape down the area.

Try scraping it for about 10 seconds and then take a quick look.

It might sparkle!

 

While we’re at it, why not have them learn the names of the shells?

If you polish them while muttering “Danbei kisago, danbei kisago,” you’ll be able to buy them when you see them in a store.

The Dambei Kizago shell protects its body with a hard shell, and the outermost layer is the hardest, followed by the nacreous layer which looks like pearl surface.

Next is a transparent layer, and finally the hole appears.

It’s also important to use just the right amount of force.

Now, we’ll polish the entire shell, which will probably take around 2 hours.

It’s tiring, but can you do your best?

As a sign of Japanese hospitality（Omotenashi）, the shellfish are soaked in vinegar to soften them.

 

 

The soaking in the sour vinegar softens the outside of the shells, making them shiny in no time.

Now, wet it again and polish it.

Be careful, as it’s easier to make holes than before.

Ocean acidification also affects shellfish.
If their hard shells dissolve, they may be eaten by predators.
Let’s reduce carbon dioxide emissions as much as we can.

Seven-colored pearl layer

By the way, shellfish such as clams do not have a nacreous layer, so they will not shine no matter how hard you polish them.

Akoya oysters have a nacreous layer, so when a stone or other object enters their body, the components inside the shell wrap around it, creating a round pearl.

In fact, when you eat shellfish, about half of the gritty substance is actually pearls.

Try putting one out on your finger next time.

If it’s round, it’s not sand but a pearl. You should be able to accept it a little.

Abalones are also supposed to produce pearls, but the reason you don’t hear about it often is because it’s difficult for them to produce pearls, and Akoya oysters are still the best choice for making pearls.

 

Now, everyone who’s finally satisfied, let’s take turns taking a commemorative photo with Sazae-san（A very famous anime character in Japan.）.

The Sazae-san anime shows us the joys of everyday life, but there are also many hidden joys to be found on the dinner table, so we prepared this in the hope that people will enjoy their lives while becoming familiar with unfamiliar seafood!