Basashi: Japan's Top Horse Meat Consumption Culture That Kumamoto is Proud Of

Basashi: The Horse Meat Culture Kumamoto Continues to Protect

Kumamoto Prefecture is said to account for around 40 percent of Japan's horse meat consumption, making it a leading production and consumption area for horse meat. Basashi is a dish of fresh horse meat sliced thin and eaten raw, served in the Kumamoto style with grated ginger, spicy miso, and garlic as condiments alongside a sweet soy sauce. There are various theories about the origin of the horse meat culture, but one holds that it began when Kato Kiyomasa ate horse meat as provisions during the campaign on the Korean peninsula in the Warring States period. Today it is a soul food symbolizing the prefecture, one you will want to try at least once when visiting Kumamoto.

Types and Cuts of Basashi

Basashi comes in a great variety of cuts. There is the light lean meat (thigh and rump), the melting marbled meat (loin and rib), and a delicacy unique to Kumamoto, the mane fat known as kotate. This white fat layer from beneath the mane is rich in collagen and faintly sweet, and eaten together with lean meat it makes an exquisite combination. Liver, heart, and other cuts that can only be enjoyed thanks to freshness are also available. First-timers are encouraged to start with lean meat and, once accustomed, compare marbled meat and mane fat.

Where to Eat Basashi

Many yakiniku restaurants, izakaya, and Japanese restaurants in Kumamoto City serve basashi. It is a standard menu item especially at eateries in the Kamidori and Shimodori shopping arcades and around Kumamoto Castle. Supermarkets and specialty shops sell takeaway portions, and vacuum-packed or frozen products are popular souvenirs. At the tourist facility Sakura no Baba Josaien at the foot of Kumamoto Castle, you can also enjoy basashi and other local dishes.

Do Not Miss Karashi-Renkon

A Kumamoto specialty alongside basashi is karashi-renkon (mustard lotus root): lotus root with its holes filled with miso mixed with hot mustard, coated in batter and deep-fried. Its sharp heat and crunchy texture are addictive. This historic dish is said to have originated as a nourishing food for the lord of the Hosokawa clan in the Edo period, and it pairs perfectly with basashi. Kumamoto also offers other distinctive local foods such as taipien and ikinari dango.

Access and Basic Information

• Area: Serving restaurants are concentrated around the Kamidori and Shimodori arcades in central Kumamoto City, around Kumamoto Castle, and at Josaien
• By public transport: From JR Kumamoto Station, about 15 minutes by city tram to Torichosuji stop; Kamidori and Shimodori are within walking distance
• Budget guide: Prices vary by restaurant, cut, and assortment, ranging from a single plate at an izakaya to a course at a specialty restaurant
• Takeaway and souvenirs: Frozen and vacuum-packed portions can be bought at city supermarkets and basashi specialty shops

Practical Travel Notes

• Freshness and hygiene: Basashi is managed and served for raw consumption. Buying and eating it at serving restaurants or specialty shops is the safe choice
• How to eat: Start with a bite without condiments, then gradually add ginger, garlic, and mustard miso to enjoy how the flavor changes
• Reservations: Popular restaurants and weekend evenings get crowded, so book ahead if you want to be sure of a table
• Keep cold for takeaway: If buying as a souvenir, prepare a cold pack and insulated bag and keep it frozen on the way home
• Pair it up: Combining with karashi-renkon, taipien, and local shochu or sake deepens your enjoyment of Kumamoto cuisine

A Word of Advice

Even those who hesitate at the idea of raw horse meat will find Kumamoto's fresh lean cuts free of gaminess, light, and easy to eat. Start with a plate of lean meat. After sightseeing at Kumamoto Castle, enjoying basashi and local drinks at an izakaya in Kamidori or Shimodori in the evening makes a fittingly Kumamoto-style close to the day.

📚 Sources

This article was edited as general gourmet information based on the food tourism information issued by Kumamoto City and the Kumamoto City Tourism Association, public information from the eateries and specialty shops serving basashi in the city, guidance for Sakura-no-Baba Josaien, and general references on Kumamoto local cuisine. Each shop’s hours, closing days, prices, and takeout offerings may change. Before you set out, please confirm the latest details through official sources for each shop and the Kumamoto City Tourism Association.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Just a few dozen minutes as part of a meal to enjoy one plate, or 1 to 2 hours to relax at an eatery
• What to bring: If you buy frozen or vacuum-packed basashi as a souvenir, bring an ice pack and cooler bag to keep it frozen, and have cash for popular shops
• Booking: Popular shops and weekend evenings are crowded, so reserve in advance if you want to be sure to try it
• Suggested route: After touring Kumamoto Castle, take the tram to Torichosuji and enjoy basashi and local drinks at an izakaya on Kamitori or Shimotori; Josaien also serves local cuisine
• How to eat: First try a bite without condiments, then add ginger, garlic, and spicy miso little by little, comparing from lean cuts to marbled cuts and mane fat