Aomori

Cannot help saying “Uma-i! (yummy)!? A casual, but nutritious local snack

Uma Man

Kanagi Machi of Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture is known as the birthplace of Osamu Dazai, one of the most famous Japanese writers of the 20th century. The area had long flourished with the lumber industry, where horses played an essential role in the transportation of wood logs. This led to development of horse farming in the area, and horse meat became part of their culinary tradition. In 2008, Uma Man, a steamed bun stuffed with juicy horse meat, made a debut on November 29, a date that reads in Japanese “ii niku”, which means “good meat”. The tasty filling is based on the local hot pot of horse meat, takana leaf mustard and other vegetables, with three types of flavours: sukiyaki-like soy sauce, locally-made traditional miso, and curry, which may be a good choice for those who are not familiar with horse meat.