Basashi
馬刺しDish
Basashi is raw horse meat sliced like sashimi, a speciality of central and southern Nagano that grew out of the region's working horses, and it suits diners who are comfortable eating both raw meat and horse.
Where to eat Basashi · 1 place
Nagano began eating horse in the late Meiji period, when farmers started eating their old work horses, according to Go Nagano, the prefecture's tourism site. The habit spread through central and southern Shinshu, where horses hauled freight on the Sanshu Kaido toward Mikawa and travelling horse dealers called bakuro bought animals across the country. Nagano ranks third for horse meat after Kumamoto and Fukushima and produces about 4 percent of the national total.
Cuts run from lean akami and marbled shimofuri to fatty belly, liver, heart and tategami, the white fat from under the mane. Japanese Wikipedia gives the usual way to eat it: dipped in soy sauce with grated ginger or garlic and chopped spring onion. Shin-Miyoshi in Matsumoto opened as the ryotei Miyoshi near Matsumoto Castle in 1899 and serves a five-cut platter and sakura nabe, the horse hot pot. Its chef buys the best meat available on the day from Nagano, Kumamoto, Canada or Italy, so ask where yours came from.
Basashi is raw meat. Japan's health ministry guidance, quoted on Japanese Wikipedia, says freezing horse meat to a core temperature of −20°C for 48 hours or more lowers the risk from the Sarcocystis fayeri parasite. Sakura nabe cooks the same meat in a hot pot for anyone who would rather eat it hot.
Quick answers about Basashiよくある質問
Why do people in Nagano eat horse meat?
Horse meat eating in Nagano began in the late Meiji period, when farmers ate their aged work horses. It spread through central and southern Shinshu, where horses carried freight on the Sanshu Kaido, according to the prefecture's tourism site.
Is basashi safe to eat?
Basashi is raw meat. Japan's health ministry guidance says freezing horse meat to a core temperature of −20°C for 48 hours or more lowers the risk from the Sarcocystis fayeri parasite. Sakura nabe, the horse hot pot, cooks the meat.
How do you order Basashi?
Order basashi (馬刺し) as a mixed platter to try several cuts, with soy sauce and ginger or garlic. In Nozawa Onsen, Izakaya Tsukushinbo lists horse sashimi among its local plates.
When is Basashi in season?
Basashi: All year.
Where can you eat Basashi in Japan?
Places we list for Basashi include Izakaya Tsukushinbo.