Considered a delicacy in several parts of the world, sea urchin, or uni in Japanese, is prized for its unique flavor. But the cost of the gonads — the orange tongues found inside an urchin — is steep. Just one 200-gram box of premium gonads can cost $100. In Japan, some sea urchins can sell for five times that. Sea urchins are one of the few seafoods still hand-harvested by divers today. In recent years, masses of them have taken over the seabeds of California. So why are there so many urchins? And how, despite this seemingly huge supply, are they still so expensive? MORE BUSINESS INSIDER VIDEOS: Why Japanese Ruby Roman Grapes Are So Expensive | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE7NqzhMDms Why Cashew Nuts Are So Expensive | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXTZVKYYyig Why Lotus Silk Is So Expensive | So Expensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9F-u4T7leQ ------------------------------------------------------ #SeaUrchin #SoExpensive #BusinessInsider Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit us at: https://www.businessinsider.com/ Subscribe: null BI on Facebook: https://read.bi/2xOcEcj BI on Instagram: https://read.bi/2Q2D29T BI on Twitter: https://read.bi/2xCnzGF BI on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Business_Insider/5319643143 Boot Camp on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Boot_Camp/3383377771 Why Sea Urchins Are So Expensive | So Expensive