Clean fish

To say things in Japan is expensive is a gross understatement, yet there are still possibilities to get stuff "cheaper".. for example, whole fish that were not cleaned (aka not having its guts and gills cut out)..

Everything in the supermarkets here are ready to cook, meaning all the fishes and sotong (squids) are nicely cleaned and cut and prawns de-shelled.. the chickens are nicely cut, separated into parts and sometimes de-boned too, same with pork and beef.. it is no wonder that all these meat, poultry and seafood cost a bomb in Japan... everything is nicely arranged, packed (sometimes double or triple wrapped!), labeled and put on the shelves..

But the supermarkets do sell fishes and squids that are unprocessed.. at a cheaper price.. for example, 2 pieces of cleaned squids will be ¥300, while you can get 3 pieces of uncleaned squids for the same price... same for fishes.. and actually, uncleaned fishes are a real bargain, relatively speaking.. the difference in prices will be around ¥100 to ¥150!!

Here is exhibit No.1 : Before and after cleaning..


Exhibit No.2: Before cleaning and after cooking..


Too bad they don't sell whole chickens, live, cleaned or otherwise.. :p