Nov 08 (NHK) - The season's first haul of snow crabs, a winter delicacy, has fetched record prices at a port in western Japan.
The snow crab season opened on Wednesday.
Crabs caught in the Sea of Japan were unloaded overnight at Tottori port, and auctioned on Thursday morning.
Male snow crabs that are optimal in size and shape are dubbed "Itsukiboshi" crabs.
One with a shell that measured 14.6 centimeters across and weighed 1.24 kilograms went for a record 5 million yen, or about 46,000 dollars.
The president of a fisheries company that bought the crab said the price was higher than he expected, but he wants everyone to know that Tottori crabs are the best.
The crab will be served to customers at a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district.
Tottori's snow crab catch will continue through March 20.
