iki-zukuri, a fish served alive
This term refers to a unique way to serve a fish or other seafood. It emphasizes that the prepared dish being fresh -- it is such fresh that the item presented to a table is still alive, part of them still moves. At a recent class, a student reported a link to a video clip where not only the meal at the dish, but even the fish with the remaining body was swimming at the water tank.
At a typical Japanese table, this dish would be considered purely a gorgeous meal, and a special treat. But for many with little knowledge, this way of cooking may be extremely out of the context, often unimaginable, or even can not be tolerated. Every one likes a good meal, but in deed the expectation could be very much different.