Innovation and Adaptation of Recent Oyster Culture Techniques in Japan

Abstract

After the tsunami disaster in 2011, oyster production in Japan declined due to the shortage of seed oysters and the reduction in culturing facilities. However, the current trend by Japanese consumers is to look for European style raw oysters served on a half shell as well as traditional cooked oysters. This trend has triggered a demand for high-quality oysters with local characteristics of flavor, size and taste. While the quantity of shucked oysters for mass retailers is decreasing, the proportion of whole oysters with shells that are shipped is increasing in relation to the demand for high-quality raw oysters. Recent efforts in Japan to establish local oyster brands based on diverse characteristics have been undertaken at local oyster production area through intense collaboration between oyster growers, fisheries cooperatives and local governments. Here, we introduce the latest innovative oyster culture techniques and report on the efforts targeting various trends in consumer demand. Innovation points in oyster culture in Japan. (i) Single-seed oysters: to grow oysters individually and the appearance of the shells; (ii) intertidal zone culture (Miyagi Prefecture): to grow oysters in their natural habitat, to make hard shells, to have tolerance to exposure to air and improve the quality of taste; (iii) virgin oysters (Miyagi Prefecture): to grow oysters before their maturation (in a year); (iv) culture in salt pans (Hiroshima Prefecture): to obtain a quality of taste with a special flavor like the oysters of Marennes, in France; (v) abyssal sea water treatment and culture: to control pathogens before shipping; (vi) marketing management: to adjust to recent consumer demands.