Reviving Wajima's Crab Fisheries: Overcoming the Freshness Barrier (From 12 Hours to 4 Days) with Proprietary 'LIV WATER' Technology and Premium 'Oni-Jime' Processing

Freshly preserved red snow crab from Wajima, enhanced by 'LIV WATER & Oni-Jime' technology — with Nakamura Hiroyuki, captain of the fishing boat 'Shoyo Maru', far left in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Giftmans Works Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture; Director: Nishida Naoki), supported by ADTANK Tokai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya City; Chairman: Ito Takahiro), has implemented fishery recovery support for crab fishermen in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, by providing equipment for 'LIV WATER', a proprietary water quality management technology that dramatically improves seafood freshness.

The on-site demonstration has now been successfully completed, overcoming the long-standing challenge of 'freshness degradation' in long-distance crab transportation. As the first step toward revitalizing a key industry in a disaster-affected region still bearing the scars of the earthquake, fresh red snow crab from Wajima utilizing this technology will begin sales in early October 2026.

Nakamura Hiroyuki, captain of the crab fishing vessel 'Shoyo Mar ', said: 'Wajima crab is incredibly delicious — seriously, you have to try it! I want people to eat it, even if they're skeptical, and share happy moments with their families, friends, and loved ones, saying, 'Crab really is delicious after all.''

Background: Earthquake Damage and the Invisible Barrier of 'Freshness'

Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture suffered severe damage from the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The local fishing industry, a cornerstone of the regional economy, continues to face difficult conditions due to port damage and reduced distribution channels.

Crab, one of Wajima's signature seafood products, is highly perishable, maintaining peak freshness for only about half a day after landing. This short shelf life, which causes a drop in value during long-distance transport, has been a major obstacle to sales recovery and market expansion in the region's reconstruction efforts.

Captain Nakamura of the 'Shoyo Maru' recalled the post-disaster period: 'We restarted fishing under overwhelming anxiety and despair — wondering if we could even catch crabs or protect our crew members' and our own families' livelihoods.'

Even as recovery progresses, he expressed his struggles: 'The roads are worse than before the earthquake. Transport takes longer, freshness deteriorates, crabs are rated lower than before, and income has decreased. I honestly thought we were done for.'

Crew members of the 'Shoyo Maru' unloading Wajima red snow crab

Support Initiative: Eliminating the 'Distance and Time Disadvantage' with Technology

To fundamentally address the challenges faced by local fishermen, with support from ADTANK Tokai (※1), the company provided a nanobubble generator that produces 'LIV WATER', a proprietary water quality management technology. LIV WATER uses ultra-fine bubbles (nanobubbles) to dramatically suppress factors that cause crab deterioration and off-flavors.

The recently completed demonstration experiment successfully extended the freshness period for raw consumption from approximately half a day to about four days. This breakthrough overcomes spoilage — a major issue in fresh seafood logistics — and enables delivery of freshly caught quality crab nationwide.

Captain Nakamura expressed his astonishment: 'I'm shocked — truly shocked. That's all I can say. Just dipping the crab briefly into this liquid created such a dramatic difference in the meat. I was amazed — is this magic water? This gives me hope. I believe we can make it now.'

[Demonstration Results] Unmatched Freshness and Flavor from 'Oni-Jime' × 'LIV WATER'

The key to this project's success lies in the fusion of 'Oni-Jime', an extreme freshness-preserving technique, with LIV WATER. 'Oni-Jime' is an extremely precise processing method involving brain killing, nerve killing, gill cutting, and rapid chilling using local water quality. Crabs processed with both 'Oni-Jime' and LIV WATER exhibit superior flavor and texture compared to conventional methods, with clear differences confirmed in the demonstration:

Visual differences: The abdomen of processed crabs maintains a luster close to that at landing for an extended period.

Enhanced sweetness and taste: Tasting tests received high praise, with participants noting 'completely different sweetness.'

Yoh Yuki Yamaya, chef at 'J roppongi' — a 10-seat, reservation-only innovative restaurant in Roppongi, Tokyo — praised the processed crab as 'entirely different' from untreated ones.

Appearance and texture: 'The color and luster are excellent. There's no dullness — it feels like the crab was perfectly processed.'

Aroma and flavor: 'First, the smell is different. There's no fishy blood odor, and the crab's natural sweetness stands out. The potential for dashi broth is clearly superior.'

Post-cooking changes: 'After cooking, the sweetness was exceptionally intense. It has a refined sweetness and a long-lasting aftertaste.'

Packing of crabs preserved with overwhelming freshness and flavor through LIV WATER & Oni-Jime — with ultra-fine nanobubble generator

Future Plans: Nationwide Sales of Fresh Red Snow Crab Starting in Early October

Following the successful demonstration and secured distribution system, sales of high-quality Wajima crab, integrating premium quality and logistics, will officially launch in early October 2026. Proceeds from this product will directly support and benefit local fishermen.

Sales start date: Early October 2026

Sales channel: Planned for sale via the Giftmans Works official online shop (https://giftmans.jp/)

Official website here →

Local Voices and Project Stakeholder Comments

Nakamura Hiroyuki, Captain of 'Shoyo Maru'

'This project brings hope to Wajima's fishermen. I've heard this technology could be applied not just to crabs, but also to fish and shellfish. If our 'Shoyo Maru' can deliver hope to Wajima's fishing community, leading to recovery and revitalization, I hope we can return to the simple, everyday life of spending time with our families.'

Ito Takahiro (Giftmans Works / ADTANK Tokai)

'I believe the organic connection between producers (crab fishermen), distributors (our company), and end users (restaurants or general customers) represents a new model for the Reiwa era. We aim to drive a new logistics revolution through technology and fulfill our commitment to giving back to the origin. We hope this initiative becomes a beacon of hope supporting Wajima's recovery.'

Delivering fresh Wajima crab nationwide — Captain Nakamura and crew of the 'Shoyo Maru' during crab fishing

※1 Accompanying Support from ADTANK Tokai to Giftmans Works Co., Ltd.

In this project, ADTANK Tokai provides comprehensive, hands-on support to Giftmans Works Co., Ltd. that goes beyond one-time assistance. This includes core nanobubble technology provision and quality improvement, as well as marketing and web (e-commerce) development for nationwide expansion, local negotiations, and creation of financing plans to establish a sustainable business foundation. ADTANK Tokai strongly supports the entire value chain, from upstream to downstream, to establish disaster recovery as a sustainable business.