Basashi: Kumamoto's Horse Meat Sashimi Guide

[Important] About the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake

Kumamoto Castle, which had been temporarily closed because of the Kumamoto Earthquake of 28 July 2026, reopened on 13 August 2026. The Kumamoto Castle Museum "Wakuwaku-za" remains temporarily closed (as of 13 August 2026). Some other tourist facilities, restaurants and roads in the prefecture may also be closed or impassable. Always confirm the latest information on each facility's official website before you set out.

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

Practical Information for Your Visit

Kumamoto's horse meat in official statistics (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Situation Surrounding Horses, November 2025 / Reiwa 7)

• Domestic production: About 2,800 tons (2,846 tons) in 2024 (Reiwa 6). It has held roughly steady in recent years
• Share of production by region (2024 / Reiwa 6), top 5 prefectures: Kumamoto Prefecture 1,206 tons (42%), Fukushima Prefecture 598 tons (21%), Fukuoka Prefecture 337 tons (12%), Aomori Prefecture 273 tons (10%), Yamanashi Prefecture 175 tons (6%)
• Imports: About 4,700 tons (4,677 tons) in 2024 (Reiwa 6). The main countries of origin are Canada, Argentina and others
• Number of animals slaughtered: 9,957 head in 2024 (Reiwa 6)

Sakura no Baba Josaien (1-1 Ninomaru, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City)

• Sakura no Komichi: Souvenir shops 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., restaurants 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last orders 6:00 p.m.). Evening use requires a reservation. Tel. 096-288-5577
• Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (last entry 5:00 p.m.). Admission is 300 yen for adults (high school students and older) and 100 yen for children (elementary and junior high school students); for groups of 30 or more it is 240 yen for adults and 80 yen for children. Tel. 096-288-5600
• Parking: Paid, with 58 spaces (including 5 spaces for accessible vehicles). From April 1, 2026, bus parking requires no reservation and is first come, first served

Kumamoto City Tram (Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau)

• Basic fare: A flat fare of 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for children (revised June 1, 2025)
• One-day pass (tram only): Paper ticket 700 yen for adults and 350 yen for children; mobile version 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for children
• 24-hour pass (mobile): 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children
• Wakuwaku 1day Pass (valid on both trams and buses / paper ticket): Designated zone 1, 900 yen; designated zone 2, 1,200 yen; Kumamoto Prefecture-wide version, 2,500 yen

* The breakdown of horse meat consumption by prefecture is not given in the materials published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (what is published is the share of production). * The Kumamoto Castle Museum Wakuwakuza is temporarily closed because of the 2026 (Reiwa 8) Kumamoto earthquake. Please check the official information from each facility before setting out for the closing days after it reopens and for the parking fee structure at Josaien. (Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Situation Surrounding Horses, November 2025 (Reiwa 7); Sakura no Baba Josaien official website; Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau official website; Kumamoto City tourism guide)