Under the bright lights of the waterfront Haedomari warehouse in Shimonoseki, Japan, tails twitch and bodies writhe in defiance of the onset of death.

The floor is awash with seawater as Yoshi Yanagawa moves down a line of 20 boxes, each containing about 15 puffer fish of varying values, lengths and states of coveted plumpness.

"Eeka! Eeka!" he chants, as 20 or so interested parties put their hands up to bid.

The puffer fish, or "fugu" in Japanese, gulp in more air, ballooning out their white belly sacs.
Shimonoseki is Japan's fugu capital.
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