Basashi (Raw Horse Meat) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Fukushima Prefecture

Basashi (Raw Horse Meat)

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Main lore areas

Aizuwakamatsu City, Aizusakashita-Cho
Main ingredients used

Horse meat

History/origin/related events

The consumption of horse meat became widespread in Fukushima around the time of the Boshin War.
It is said that the practice of feeding horse meat to the wounded individuals brought to the prefecture began at that time. Later, horse meat became popular in Aizu Wakamatsu as a valuable source of protein, and became a food commonly eaten at home like pork and chicken. Initially, it was common to cook horse meat thoroughly. However, the culture of consuming "basashi" (raw horse meat) began to spread when a popular professional wrestler, who visited Aizuwakamatsu, ate it raw, sparking interest in the dish. Nowadays, "basashi" has become a distinguished local cuisine in Aizuwakamatsu. Unlike other areas, a distinctive feature of eating "basashi" in Aizuwakamatsu is the use of "karashi miso" (spicy mustard miso), which took root after being introduced by a popular professional wrestler.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

Originally, Aizuwakamatsu is inland, making it difficult for fresh raw fish to be readily available. In such a situation, horse sashimi, which is available even in inland areas, can be considered a substitute for fish sashimi, so much so that in Aizu Wakamatsu, the word "sashimi" is said to refer to horse sashimi instead of fish.
How to eat

Fresh horse meat is sold at butcher shops in Aizuwakamatsu City.
It is common to eat it by dipping in soy sauce and spicy mustard miso. Furthermore, one notable feature of Aizuwakamatsu's horse meat is that it lacks marbled fat, known as "sashi," in its lean meat. It is basically eaten in the home, and there are few cases of people enjoying horse meat at restaurants.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Overview of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
To promote Aizuwakamatsu's horse meat culture, the "Aizu Brand Horse Meat" Sakura Association actively engages in activities such as offering horse meat set menus in local restaurants on August 29th, known as "Horse Meat Day," and organizing events. Additionally, while it is common to eat Aizuwakamatsu's horse sashimi with spicy mustard miso, there are efforts by some students and businesses to develop new sauces, expanding the ways to enjoy it.

RECIPE

Ingredients (umami spicy miso for Basashi (4 servings))

Rice Miso 3 tbsp.
Sake 3 tbsp.
Mirin(=sweet rice wine) 3 tbsp.
Starch syrup 3 tbsp.
Soy Sauce a little
Salt a little
Chili Pepper 2 tbsp.
Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) 2 tbsp.
Powdered Aizu (Otane) carrots 1 tbsp.
Garlic 2 piece

How to cook

1. Finely mince the garlic as much as possible.
2. In a pot, add sake and mirin, bring it to a boil to evaporate the alcohol.
3. Add rice miso, starch syrup, soy sauce, chili pepper, gochujang, and the finely minced garlic to the pot from step 2. Mix over medium heat until it reaches your desired consistency.
4. Adjust the taste with salt.
5. Turn off the heat and add powdered Aizu (Otane) carrots, then mix well. Toss the mixture with your preferred horse sashimi and enjoy.

provider : Tsuruga Ltd.

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

Basashi (Raw Horse Meat) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Fukushima Prefecture

Basashi (Raw Horse Meat)

Main lore areas

Main ingredients used

History/origin/related events

Opportunities and times of eating habits

How to eat

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

RECIPE

Ingredients (umami spicy miso for Basashi (4 servings))

How to cook