Catch Your Own Dinner at Japan's Zauo Restaurant

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This article is part of our series on the 17 most unique things to have come out of Japan. Check out the other 16.

It’s common knowledge that the fresher the sushi, the better it tastes. A restaurant in Tokyo by the name of Zauo takes this information to new extremes by giving diners the chance to catch their own dinner.

Entering the restaurant, you’re handed a fishing line and rod and invited to sit in a 'boat', which is actually a series of tables cobbled together to look like a seaworthy vessel. It’s surrounded by a moat, filled with various fish species. You choose your victim and throw in your line. A successful baiting usually inspires a loud cheer from your fellow diners.

The only catch? Whichever creature you lure is the one you have to eat; there’s no killing three or four fish before making your decision. The seafood is delivered to the kitchen, where it’s cooked according to your fancy — be that super fresh sashimi or grilled with salt or lemon, to bring out the natural flavours.

If you're not up for a Rex Hunt Fishing Adventure, you can order straight from the menu instead, but the incentive of a cheaper lunch is pretty enticing. Zauo is so popular that it’s now opened in 14 branches around Japan, including in four locations in Tokyo. According to Vice, there are hopes to expand to San Francisco.

Find Zauo's Shinjuku restaurant on the first floor of the Washington Hotel, 3-2-9 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo. For other locations, check the website.

Via Vice.