Last time, we mentioned that Kurokawa Onsen's unique standing baths have a beneficial effect on digestion, so after soaking in the hot springs, it’s best to indulge in some delicious food. Can you guess what the most famous food in Kumamoto Prefecture is? You might think it’s Kumamoto's famous bear meat, but no, it’s horse meat!

Horse meat is a representative dish of Kumamoto cuisine. Located in central Kyushu and away from the sea, Kumamoto doesn’t have the fresh sashimi available in coastal areas. It is said that during the Edo period, when Japan was experiencing wars and food shortages, the Kumamoto domain resorted to eating horses that were too injured to ride. To everyone's surprise, they found horse meat to be extremely sweet and tender, leading to the development of this culinary tradition.