Did you know that some Japanese people have a habit of eating meats that are considered exotic by others? Let’s learn about 3 such unusual meats.
- Horse sashimi aka basashi
People from Kumamoto Prefecture take pride in their signature delicacy, basashi. It doesn’t have an unpleasant smell at all, so you don’t have to feel squeamish about eating it. Dip it in soy sauce, pair it with sake, and soon, you’ll be racing to devour the entire plate.
- Deer meat
People from Nagano Prefecture face the problem of too many deer destroying their farmlands, so what do they do? They hunt deer down (within approved guidelines). At Nagano, you can enjoy delicious deer in various forms: deer curry, deer shumai dumplings and venison burgers!
- Whale meat
Did you know that whale meat was once so highly prized that it appeared regularly in school children’s lunches in the 1970s? These days, due to the ethical dilemma of killing whales, eating these mammals isn’t so common. However, some Japanese still eat whale meat occasionally because of its benefits as a health supplement or as a potential weapon in the fight against dementia.
Thanks for sharing - and thanks for the image too - very helpful.
My son and I went to a small restaurant just off the main street, in a tiny 'mall' in Nara.
We'd just been feeding the bowing deer and was shocked to see that part of his meal was looking up at him.
In case you're wondering - it was a crayfish, not a deer.
I think it might have been situated near a real crowd puller - a small, open stall that makes, and sells freshly made mochi.
The guy is famous for making the mochi in a large wooden bowl by pounding it with, the help of an assistant, with wooden hammers.
Great fun!
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9gl_qIOOxpw/maxresdefault.jpg
I never knew that Nara deer eat crayfish. Only fed them those deer biscuits that are so ubiquitous in Nara haha.
Pounding mochi is fun to watch. I was lucky to watch it once during their Japanese New Year - which is coming soon. 31st December!
Sorry, I've confused you due to poor composition.
It was my son who ordered the meal
I'm pretty sure that deer prefer cookies (seemingly so did my son - he really didn't like the way his meal stared at him).
It might horrify him if he learns that people in Asia routinely eat fish heads. Fish head curry, anyone? 😝
Raw chicken was a nice experience too for me...
Nice! I got to try it some day then. When did you have it? At an izakaya?
Yes, Izakaya in Tokyo if I recall well.
Wow, I had no idea about these unusual Japanese meats! Horse sashimi sounds intriguing, especially when paired with sake. And it's interesting to learn about Nagano's creative solutions to deal with the deer problem. As for whale meat, it's fascinating to see how its consumption has changed over time due to ethical concerns.
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Thanks for the insight. My father-in-law is from Kumamoto - and we routinely eat horse meat. I will be sure to let him know haha.
You’re right. Whale meal is banned from school lunches in Japan. I did try it once at an izakaya (gastro-pub in Japan). I think whale meal is still served at some izakayas if one searches hard enough: https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/23/whale-meat-on-the-menu-as-japanese-suppliers-try-to-tempt-tourists
Raw (and cooked) horse meat is pretty popular in Jeju here. Had it once. Richer than beef I'd say, but similar flavors.
Sounds like you’re a foodie, heh