Daily Life in Hokkaido vs. Luxury in Honshu? The East-West Gap and Food Culture Surrounding 'Horsehair Crab' and 'King Crab'

"If you're going to eat crab in Hokkaido, it has to be horsehair crab."
When a Hokkaido local says this, someone from Honshu might tilt their head and ask, "Wait, isn't horsehair crab a luxury item served at high-end restaurants? If you want something easy to eat, isn't it king crab?"

Have you ever heard of such a gap in food culture?
In fact, there is a significant difference between Hokkaido and Honshu regarding the accessibility and price perception of crab, as well as the values surrounding "which crab to eat and how to enjoy it."

In this article, we will delve into the differences in perception between the East and West regarding horsehair crab and king crab, as well as the interesting distribution and biological backgrounds behind them.

1. Why is horsehair crab "accessible and affordable" in Hokkaido?
While horsehair crab is often perceived as a luxury item in Honshu, in Hokkaido, it is a common sight in supermarket seafood sections and local markets, appearing on everyday dining tables and at family gatherings.
① "Year-round availability" with catches somewhere all year long
Horsehair crab is landed along the coast of Hokkaido throughout the year, changing production areas depending on the season: the Okhotsk Sea in spring (after the drift ice clears), Funka Bay in summer, and off the coasts of Kushiro and Tokachi in autumn and winter.
Because of this, fresh, "non-frozen, shore-boiled" horsehair crab is always available.
② Affordable "price per crab"
Horsehair crabs are small, weighing about 400g to 800g each.
While the price per kilogram is consistent, the "amount paid at one time" is lower compared to large king crabs that weigh 2kg to 4kg, making them easier to purchase.
③ The "rich crab tomalley" that locals love
For locals who value not just the "amount of meat" but also the "umami of the tomalley" and the "broth," horsehair crab packed with tomalley offers a very high level of satisfaction.

2. Why is "horsehair crab = a high-hurdle luxury item" in Honshu?
On the other hand, opportunities to eat horsehair crab in Honshu drop significantly.
The background to this lies in differences in transportation and consumption styles.

The barrier of freshness preservation and transportation costs
Horsehair crab has a high water content in its meat, making it prone to losing flavor during the freezing and thawing process.
To provide truly delicious horsehair crab in Honshu, air-freighting them alive or using special rapid-freezing technology is necessary, which results in prices jumping to the range of high-end restaurants and luxury izakayas.

"Appearance" as a gift
Much of the demand for crab in Honshu is strongly tied to year-end gifts and special meals.
In the gift market, king crabs with thick legs that look impressive or branded snow crabs (Matsuba crab, Echizen crab) are more likely to be chosen, making the smaller horsehair crab less likely to be an option.

The hurdle of "the effort to shell it"
The shell of a horsehair crab is hard and covered in sharp bristles.
In Honshu, where the know-how for using scissors to extract the meat and tomalley is not widespread, it is often avoided with the thought that "it looks like a lot of work to eat."

3. They are actually biologically completely different! Horsehair crab and King crab
To begin with, horsehair crab and king crab are vastly different in their biological classification.

Horsehair Crab (Kegani)
Classification: Decapoda, Brachyura (True Crabs)
Characteristics: Has 10 legs. Packed with meat that has a delicate sweetness and rich tomalley that solidifies easily.

King Crab (Tarabagani)
Classification: Decapoda, Anomura (Related to Hermit Crabs)
Characteristics: Has 8 visible legs. Enjoy the bold, thick, succulent legs. The tomalley is high in oil and does not solidify when heated, so it is generally not eaten.

"Horsehair crab, where you savor everything down to the tomalley" and "King crab, where you enjoy biting into the thick leg meat."
Knowing this difference makes the way you enjoy each one much clearer.

Summary: Knowing and enjoying the charms of each region
In Hokkaido, there is a culture of "everyday horsehair crab to enjoy the umami and tomalley," while in Honshu, there is a culture of "king crab for special occasions to enjoy the bold meat" or "horsehair crab for connoisseurs at high-end restaurants," with the established culture differing depending on the environment and distribution.

If you have the chance to visit Hokkaido, please try picking up a horsehair crab at a local supermarket or market.
You will surely be able to experience the accessible yet profound "horsehair crab culture" that is a bit different from the image in Honshu.