A. K. comments

Here are my top seven picks, but there are so many other flavors, such as sakura, Anko, or even more creative ones such as curry.

I like anko as much as the next person, but anko is just sweetened red bean paste. Featured at the very top of the article.

[...] the social media accounts of his friends of ex-girlfriend [...]

You mean "or."

Evidently not much of it is actually sold or eaten. But there are some "inaka" towns and cities that have put it on the menu of school lunches in an attempt to have the students "understand" the food history/culture of Japan. (comment by Yubaru)

While I don't disagree with you per se, I do know that whale meat was going to be served as a (mandatory) school lunch for primary school kids sometime around 2010/2011. No, I didn't have to eat it as I was luckily transferring to another public school in another prefecture. The thing is, this was at Yokohama... Not exactly 'inaka' is it? (If you don't get it, search for the population of Japanese cities - you'll see what I mean.) Though I would say that the decision is inaka-ish in mentality.

Now I'm back in Yokohama and they are sold at almost every supermarket 'round here. I only know of two exceptions and one of them is Costco. I have never seen people actually buying them.

The Japanese people themselves need to be made aware of this slaughter, but sadly the mainstream press does not discuss this issue, nor media either!

That is a crime as well! As they are complicit by their silence! (also by Yubaru)

The last time I looked at whaling-related news on one of the mainstream Japanese media aka Y!Japan, the comments that were shown prominently were all pro-whaling. Pages and pages of them. Huh - I'm not sure whether this is really the general Japanese consensus or not. Peer pressure perhaps? I spent a good chunk of my life in Southeast Asia and Oceania, so I'm not exactly Japanese culturally...

someone who was too freaked out by big chunks of dolphin meat being sold at a market in Okinawa