Horse Meat in Japan – Taboo for Some, Delicious for Others: "
My first encounter with horse meat was the week after I first arrived in Japan. I had just finished my orientation/training session and a large group of us decided to head to an izakaya in the Ginza area – I think it was Watami – and celebrate by getting drunk! Well, my group of co-workers decided it would be fun to order horse meat for us newcomers. One co-worker even tried to pass it off as raw beef just so that we would sample it. Coming from Canada, the only times I’ve seen and ridden a horse was during my elementary school camping trips, at Bowen Island, and in Inner Mongolia. Not being wasted yet and hearing it was horse meat, I adventurously picked up my chopsticks, grabbed a slice and ate it. Now, because this was over 2 years ago and I was, admittedly, slightly intoxicated, I can’t remember what it first tasted like, but I can say that I didn’t spit it out!
My second encounter was at an all-you-can-drink izakaya in Shibuya last November. When I saw horse meat on the menu I was very excited and determined to try it again. There was only one choice for horse meat, which came with several slices from 3 different parts of the horse. The plate costed us roughly 2,000 yen ($20). The horse meat, called ‘sakuraniku’ which means cherry blossom meat, is typically eaten raw. It is a delectable alternative to pork, beef and venison. With my first bite, I was surprised that the meat was not gamey, as you typically find with venison, but rather tender. Cut into paper thin slices and dipped in soy sauce mixed with grated ginger, the horse meat was not what I had expected. I enjoyed the dish so much that I was sad when the plate was finished.I won’t go into detail as to how the horse is processed, but I will say it is similar as to how cattle is processed. Horses are not usually specifically bred to be eaten; rather horses which have lost their monetary value and owners who are still able make money off them, turn them into meat. The name “sakuraniku” refers to the color of the meat. Younger horses tend have a lighter meat color compared to older horses which are darker. The time used to cook horse meat is shorter than the time used to cook beef. Nutrition-wise, horse meat is actually healthier when comparing with beef: lower in calories and cholesterol and high in protein, horse meat is a great alternative to beef.
The most famous and oldest establishment to eat horse meat in Tokyo is at Minoya Morishita located at 2-19-9 Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Tel: 03 3631 8298. Eating here will set you back between 3,000-6,000 yen ($30-60) per person. Make reservations in advance and be sure to bring cash because they don’t accept credit cards.
Some of you think, “How can you even think of eating a horse?” Yes, eating a horse is a taboo in many countries, like how eating dog is a taboo as well. But other than the reasons listed above, horse consumption isn’t only something done by those Europeans or Asians… there are many countries that have been found to consume horse meat, including Canada. That is correct my American and especially Canadian readers, you can find horse meat in Quebec – sold by high end butchers! So if you ever have the opportunity to try horse meat, go for it, I dare you! Your reaction may even surprise yourself!
[Photos courtesy of spot-navi and flickr: chamagraphy ]
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