Kegani/Hokkaido Hairy Crab 440-500g

Freshest Kegani from Esashi, Hokkaido's crab town

The freshest Kegani from Esashi Town, known as crab town in Hokkaido is here!

Esashi Town boasts one of the largest and most delicious catches of kegani in Hokkaido, a fierce battleground for seafood.

How is Kegani of Esashi Town special?

Known for the highest quality crab in the Japanese market.

The taste analysis revealed that it has extraordinary "umami" and "richness" and "little sourness and bitterness.

The tightly packed meat is sweet, and the rich, thick meat is enough to make even the most discerning gourmand impressed.

Enjoy as it is!

Defrost it naturally, to enjoy this Kegani as if you were in Esahi town, Hokkaido.

Esashi Kegani are quickly frozen to ensure freshness. Hence, it creates a film of ice called "glaze" to lock in the flavor.

The ice film is thick and bothersome, but do not melt it with water and let it thaw as it is. It takes about a day to defrost. but we best recommend this way!

1. Wrap the frozen kegani in kitchen paper to prevent them from drying out.
2. Place the crab, shell side down, on a colander.
3. The ice melts and water comes out, so put the crab in a bowl.
   *Be careful not to let the crab get soaked in the melted water.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Ready to eat when you press down on the thigh and it becomes elastic~

If you are pressed for time, you can still enjoy it by steaming.

1. Place crab with the shell on top in a pot and check the depth of the water to about the base of the shell.
2. Take out crab, boil water, and add a teaspoon of salt.
3. Quickly melt the ice on the surface of crab with warm water.
   * Be careful not to melt it too much, as the flavor will escape.
4. When the water comes to a boil, put crab face down in the pot and simmer over high heat without a lid for 8 minutes.
5. Turn crab over and simmer for another 8 minutes.
6. Put the crab back in the pot face down, cover with a lid, turn off the heat, and let it steam for 10 minutes.

* When simmering two crabs at the same time or when the weight of the crab is more
than 400g, increase the simmering time by 3 to 4 minutes.

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Strict rules to protect Kegani

Kegani of Esashi Town are landed all at once on March 16 each year, after the ice floes leave the sea. Once kegani are in the basket, they are sunk into the sea and pulled out the next day, where skilled fishermen sort them on board.

Only crabs within the rules set for protection are brought back to land under thorough resource management.

1. After the end of each fishing season, a resource survey is conducted and the amount of crab that can be caught before the next fishing season is agreed upon.
2. Only male crabs with a shell length of 8 cm or more can be caught; all other crabs must be returned to the sea.
3. Young crabs which have molted and have soft shells, also must be returned to the sea.

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Blessed Environment of Esashi Town, Hokkaido

A town loved by the sea and mountains
Esashi Town is the 9th largest town in Hokkaido and is surrounded by the Sea of Okhotsk, which stretches 58 km from north to south, and vast mountains, and is loved by mountains and sea.
In the harsh environment with temperatures exceeding 30°C in summer and -30°C in winter when the drift ice arrives, the town has developed mainly through primary industries such as fishing and agriculture.

From "fishing to catch" to "fishing to nurture," the rich nature and human hands nurture the high quality marine products of Okhotsk Esashi.
The drift ice that flows in from the Amur River carries microorganisms and plankton that serve as food for sea creatures, and the cold puts the sea to sleep, creating the nutrient-rich Sea of Okhotsk.
The planting of trees, which began under the slogan of "100 years to restore the natural beach of 100 years ago" and "handing down fishery resources and a rich environment to our children and grandchildren," has resulted in the planting of approximately 20,000 trees, and the melted snow flowing through the fertile mountain forests brings nutrients from the mountains to the sea.