🥩 Basashi (Raw Horse Meat)
The consumption of horse meat became widespread in Fukushima around the time of the Boshin War. It is said that the practice of feeding horse meat to the wounded individuals brought to the prefecture began at that time. Later, horse meat became popular in Aizu Wakamatsu as a valuable source of protein, and became a food commonly eaten at home like pork and chicken. Initially, it was common to cook horse meat thoroughly. However, the culture of consuming "basashi" (raw horse meat) began to spread when a popular professional wrestler, who visited Aizuwakamatsu, ate it raw, sparking interest in the dish. Nowadays, "basashi" has become a distinguished local cuisine in Aizuwakamatsu. Unlike other areas, a distinctive feature of eating "basashi" in Aizuwakamatsu is the use of "karashi miso" (spicy mustard miso), which took root after being introduced by a popular professional wrestler.