Would you have the stomach to bring in your own fish meal from a tank?
There are quirky restaurants in Japan that will give you the chance to find the answer – they store fish in huge tanks, with diners given rods and nets so they can catch one for the chef to cook for them.
Several TikTokers have snapped images of the very new eateries — and many commenters have left feeling sick at the concept.
A viral video of Australian travel blogger Tina Pik documented her journey to the Osaka branch Fish restaurant Zauo, a restaurant chain that has been inviting diners to have their own supper since the 1980s. In it she shows how employees beat a drum when diners successfully catch a fish and how chefs transform the catch into ‘a tasty sashimi or fried or steamed fish dish’.
The video was viewed more than 17 million times, but the response was mixed, with users ‘Nawiti Nkhoma123’ writing, “I can’t eat something I’ve met face to face…that just changed everything.” TikToker ‘Clayton’ added that it “just feels wrong.”
TikTokers have captured footage of very new restaurants in Japan where guests can catch their own fish for dinner, such as Jumbo tsuribune Tsurikichi in Osaka (above)
another user, ‘Porcelain_Ponnie’, said, “Try to imagine this from the fish’s point of view.” And ‘niknak8519’ commented, “My problem is that I would feel sorry for the fish I caught, put it back, and go home hungry.”
Others, however, were more enamored with the prospect. User ‘Alex’ said, ‘I like to eat and I like to fish, so this is where I have to go!’ And user ‘neither’ said, “I’m going to add this to my tour plan.”
Bloggers from San Diego Brandon and Marywho manages the YouTube channel Ferrers in flightshared one video from the same restaurant while vacationing in Osaka, explaining how lobster, shrimp, clams, and flounder are among the seafood that can be plucked from the tanks.
A sign outlines how to catch a fish in Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi
The cost varies depending on the type of fish you caught. If diners struggle to catch something, the staff can step in and bring in a catch for them. Pictured above is Jumbo tsuribune Tsurikichi
Lobster steamed in garlic and butter at Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi
The cost varies depending on the type of fish you caught. For example, a red snapper costs about £17.50 (JPY 3,245/$23). If diners struggle to catch something, the staff can step in and bring in a catch for them.
Speaking to MailOnline Travel about the experience, Brandon and Mary explain how the staff ‘provide some bait for you to hook’ when you start fishing. They continue: ‘Once you drop the hook for (the fish) they are quick to bite!’
The couple, visiting the eatery with their young daughter, managed to catch one fish, which the three of them shared. They say, ‘We chose to bake half our fish and grill the other half. They have different ways to prepare it, and you can’t go wrong with any combination.’
TikToker Nicholas Teo (above) shared a video showing him catching his evening meal at a Tokyo branch of the popular restaurant chain Zauo
Their images capture the dining experience, with seats built into the wooden boats in the center of the restaurant.
Overall, they said it was a “great experience,” adding, “It was fun to see tourists and locals alike enjoying a nice meal that we just happened to catch ourselves!”
Another TikToker, Nicholas Teoshared one video where he saw his dinner at a Tokyo branch of the popular restaurant chain Zauo.
In it he reveals that ‘you can actually come and eat here without fishing, but if you fish you get a discount’.
The different types of fish that can be caught at the Zauo restaurant chain, which has been around since the 1980s
Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi’s Facade. TikTok user Parisa admits she was ‘a little skeptical’ about the experience before visiting the restaurant
He adds that the chefs can use the “fish head and bones to make you miso soup.”
another restaurant, Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichilocated in the Shinsekai district of Osaka, offers the same experience as documented in a video by TikTok user Paris.
She admits she was “a bit skeptical” about fish for her dinner at first, but thought she’d give it a try anyway.
And she was pleasantly surprised. The traveling TikToker describes the fisherman’s restaurant as unlike any other place she’s ever been, saying, “We ended up going for the lobster steamed in garlic and butter and tempura shrimp… this was some of the best seafood I’ve ever had.” had . The freshness is second to none and I would highly recommend this place if you are looking for a unique dining experience.’
She added, “Although I’m not a fishing expert, I have to admit that the experience was a nice mix of challenge and fun. Although I found handling the rods a little tricky, it didn’t detract from the experience.
Fortunately, the restaurant provided nets for those of us struggling, and I ended up using one myself. Oddly enough, the fish seemed to suspect they were on the menu and purposely dodged the rods, creating a cat-and-mouse game in the underwater world.’
This phenomenon briefly made its way abroad – Zauo opened a restaurant in New York in 2018, but closed down after less than two years of operation.