"Kumamoto's Specialty" Kumamoto Local Custom Tip by KevinMichael

So for the first time back in 1992 I had a chance to eat Sakura niku (raw horse meat).

I found out what it was after I had already eaten it. Well, it's not that bad. Kumamoto is apparently famous for it's raw horse meat.

It also goes by the name Basashi. Or if you can't remember that try saying Nama no Uma no niku (literally raw horse meat).

Many Japanese people have never eaten it.
The last time I went to Kumamoto in 1999, I decided to try it again. I found a restaurant located close to Kumamoto castle that was serving it.

It's an experience. Well, for those of you who
are shocked... remember Americans sometimes used to eat horse. Where do you think the expression came from 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse'. In this case I was hungry so I ate some horse.

So how does it taste?

Well, it was raw so imagine that if you can.
You dip it in soysauce and then chew and chew and chew. For those of you who know,
it's like chewing octopus.

Yum... actually it doesn't taste that good. I'm not a big fan of raw meat. Raw fish OK. I think I'll pass if I'm ever given the chance to eat steak tartar.