Japanese whalers butchered a whale in front of a crowd of schoolchildren

Japanese whalers have butchered a whale in front of elementary school students and locals to mark the start of the whaling season in Japan. The event was held in the Wada district, south of Tokyo. The stylized ritual began with a prayer for the safety of the hunting season. After the 10-meter whale was cut into thousands of pieces, the children watching all these were offered to try its fried meat for free. According to the employees of the whaling company, they hold such an event every year in order to educate the younger generation: children should know how to butcher and cook whale meat.

In Japan, they emphasize that whaling is their age-old tradition and part of the national culture.

(8 photos in total)

1. Students look at the carcass of a whale, which is going to be butchered in their presence in the Wada area, south of Tokyo. (© Reuters)

2. Employees of a whaling company butcher a whale in front of elementary school students and local residents in the Wada area, south of Tokyo. (© Reuters)

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4. A worker cuts up the first whale killed this season in the Wada area, south of Tokyo. (© Reuters)

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