Basashi (Horse Sashimi) — Kumamoto's Signature Dish

Kumamoto is Japan's capital of basashi (馬刺し) — raw horse meat sliced thin and served with garlic, ginger, and sweet soy sauce. The meat is lean, sweet, and tender with a texture between tuna and beef. Kumamoto produces 40% of Japan's edible horse meat, and locals eat basashi as regularly as sashimi in coastal cities.

The tradition originated in the 1600s when Kato Kiyomasa brought Korean horses to Kumamoto. Today, basashi is sold at every izakaya and supermarket in the prefecture.