A giant squid was caught in a fixed net in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on 8 January. It has been the subject of national news coverage.

The National Science Museum confirmed the image and identified it as a female giant squid. It is said that although carcasses are sometimes washed up, it is rare for them to be landed alive. It is a whopping 4 metres long. The video gives a good idea of its size.

OH... you're so squeaky clean...

Giant squid contain large amounts of ammonium chloride in their bodies for buoyancy. This is why they have a strong ammonia smell and are not suitable for food. It's a pity because they are so big.

Speaking of giant squid, the NHK Special: The World's First, aired on NHK last year in 2013! The Giant Squid of the Deep Sea", broadcast on NHK in 2013, is still fresh in our memories. It became a hot topic as the world's first scoop footage of a living giant squid in the deep sea.

I seem to remember that that was filmed in the Ogasawara Sea, but I didn't realise that they were also lurking off Sado Island. The Sea of Japan side of the island was once the subject of a large outbreak of echizen jellyfish, and I feel once again that even the sea around us is full of uncharted territory that humans don't understand.

Fishermen in Niigata work back to back with the sea to deliver delicious seafood to us. Thanks to them!

Live squid from the Ebisu Tai restaurant.