In Japan, not only is sliced salmon a dinnertime staple, but it’s a cute mascot and candy too. And salmon also has one other crazy property that sets it apart from all other fish: it can still swim around even after it’s been sliced into cutlets. Apparently…

But while all of us adults know that’s not possible, some kids might not, and one Japanese television show decided to do an experiment to see how kids would react to swimming cuts of cooked salmon. Do the kids know where the fish on their plate actually comes from? Watch the video to find out!

On September 6, the Japanese television show Souda, Sakanaya-san e Ikou! (Yeah, Let’s Go to the Fish Market!) took to the aquarium to see if kids would understand that what they eat on their plate doesn’t look the same as what swims in the ocean. The show usually focuses on educating the public about fish in a fun, variety show-type way, but this time they decided to just go for a good old-fashioned prank.

Why would they do this? Perhaps fish literacy in Japan is dwindling as more and more land animals make their way onto the Japanese dinner table. Or perhaps just because they knew it would be hilarious, as you can see in the video here:

▼ The video begins with a child’s misinformed interpretation of fish swimming in the ocean.


▼ There’s something mysterious going on here….


▼ What is it? What’s everyone looking at?


▼ Come on! I can’t take the suspense anymore!


▼ Oh…. Oh my god, my whole life has been a lie!


▼ You can say that again, girl! I’m with you.


▼ It… it has a mouth too? Is this even real? It can’t possibly be-


▼ Phew! You really had me going for a second there.


▼ Yes, let’s learn more about fish! Will there be free samples?


I can’t help but wonder what actually was inside the salmon slices to make them swim around like that. Were there tiny motors? Were smaller fish wearing them as costumes? I’d love to watch a whole video just to see how these “fish” work.

When did you learn where food comes from when you were a kid? Did you imagine tuna fish sandwiches swimming under the sea? Or bologna slices living happily on a farm? Let us know in the comments!

Images: YouTube (SBS Shizuoka Housou)
[ Read in Japanese ]