Casual but tasty insect food at Ueno!
The store pre-opened in December 2022, has been refining their menu while incorporating customer feedback. This time, I tried the recommended menu, the salt- and pepper-flavored “Large Cricket Skewers.”
The shop’s insect food is popular among a wide range of people regardless of age, gender and nationality. It is even well-liked among children.
It seems that many people stop in front of the store and take pictures with great interest. For those who are unsure whether to eat it or not, the shop staff explain that the insects are cultivated for food and that they can eat insects with peace of mind.
Occasionally, people come to try to feed each other insects as a punishment game, but the owner is concerned about such ways of consumption. If he sees someone trying to start a punishment game by playing rock-paper-scissors in front of the store, he stops them. “Our insects are delicious and highly nutritious. They are not meant to be eaten as punishment.”
There is a widespread misconception that entomophagy is a “bad-tasting food that is eaten as a punishment,” or that there are high hurdles to purchasing insect food. MUSHI-YA TOKYO ueno regards itself as a place for popularizing insect food by providing many people with the opportunity of trying it and experiencing the delightful taste.
“Insects should not be eaten by force, but should be viewed as a food option. If many people eat insects, the market scale will grow, and if we can provide insect dishes at a low price, more people can eat insects. I would be happy if the accumulation of such experiences by each person will lead to the achievement of the broader mission of the SDGs.”
For those interested at giving a try, you buy a “ticket” from the vending machine (top for food, bottom for drinks). Hand the ticket over to the counter, and select how you’d like the food to be prepared.
Edited from article on Zenbird Media.
What we’d like to see
Insect food is still a bit pricey across the industry. We hope to see a wider adoption so they can be enjoyed at a lower price.
