<Horse Meat>
In Japan, there is a tradition of eating raw horse meat (Basashi), especially in Kumamoto, Nagano, Fukushima and Aomori. Those places were famous horse producing district, therefore, they still have tradition eating horse meat.
Kumamoto is the place that is the most famous for Basashi.
When you go to restaurants, Bashi is expensive than normal beef, chicken and pork meat. Bashi are usually not sold at local supermarkets because of the sanitation and food poisoning problems that happened in the past.
People eat Bashi with ginger, garlic, green onion and soy sauce. This is the common way of Japanese people eating Basashi.
<Fugu>
Also in Japan, there is a tradition of eating a blowfish (Fugu). This tradition is spread among West Japan such as Yamaguchi, Osaka and Kyushu area. Fugu has poison in the organs, therefore, people need a license to dress a Fugu. The most delicious season of eating Fugu is winter.
Fugu sashi is the most famous fugu dish, which is a sashimi of Fugu. People eat it with Ponzu. There is another interesting Fugu dish such as “Fugu no ranso nukazuke” which is a dish that a Fugu’s ovary preserved in salted rice-bran paste.
<Raw Egg>
In Japan, eating raw eggs is a common thing. Foreigners are concern about salmonella food poisoning from raw egg, however, in Japan, there is a strict rule of reducing food poisoning from eggs. That is why eating raw eggs is common in Japan.
There are many Japanese dishes that uses raw egg. For example, “Tamagokake Gohan” is one of the dishes that uses raw egg. The dish is very simple and you just have to put a raw egg on a hot white rice with salt and soy sauce. “Tamago Kake Gohan” is usually eaten for breakfast among Japanese people. Another dish that we use raw eggs is “Sukiyaki”. Japanese usually dip their sukiyaki meat and vegetables with raw egg.
<Natto>
Natto is another unique Japanese food that usually surprises foreigners. Natto is a traditional Japanese food that is made from fermented soybeans. It has a really strong smell and a slimy texture. Natto has been eaten from the ancient times in Japan, and a lot of people still eat Natto as breakfast. There are some people who will combine Tamago Kake Gohan with Natto for breakfast. There are many ways to eat Natto such as putting green onion, cheese, seaweed, kimchi, etc. so find your favorite way to eat Natto!
It might be weird, but you might like it and it is worth trying!
Karen
Japan
