Mutsugoro in Kumamoto – The Best Restaurant for Horse Meat Sashimi and Local Cuisine

About two weeks after the Kumamoto earthquake, during Golden Week, I visited Kumamoto City.
Even at that time, many shops were already reopening, and I enjoyed plenty of delicious food before heading home.

This time, I’d like to introduce you to Mutsugoro, one of the most renowned restaurants in downtown Kumamoto City.


This establishment serves not only horse sashimi but also an extensive lineup of horse meat dishes, along with seafood, karashi renkon (spicy lotus root), hitomoji guruguru, and other Kumamoto local cuisine and sake.

If you’re thinking “I want to eat something delicious in Kumamoto,” you can’t go wrong by choosing this place!

Mutsugoro: A Renowned Horse Meat Restaurant Near Kumamoto Castle

Mutsugoro is located in Hanabatacho, in the heart of Kumamoto City, close to Kumamoto Castle and City Hall.

This was April 30th, when traces of the earthquake were still quite visible in Kumamoto City. The stairs were unusable, so we could only use the elevator.
Nearly three months have passed since then, so it should be fully restored by now.

Basement level 1, here it is!

I entered shortly after 5 PM, just after opening time, but customers were already starting to arrive.

At the front, there are many photos and Kumamon glasses. Very Kumamoto indeed.

With daily fresh fish specials, various horse meat dishes, and local cuisine, it’s hard to choose. The rice they use is, of course, Kumamoto-grown “Mori no Kumasan.” What an adorable brand name.

While basashi (horse sashimi) and koune (horse neck meat) can occasionally be found in other prefectures, here you’ll find unusual items like “tongue sashimi” and “heart sashimi,” as well as dishes you wouldn’t normally make with horse meat, such as “braised offal” and “bite-sized cutlets.”

Look up and there’s another horse meat menu list! Everything sounds intriguing… “horse brain,” “grilled horse root”…

That said, I can’t eat too much by myself, so for this first visit, I ordered the classic horse sashimi.

Kumamoto’s Horse Meat is Truly Delicious! Local Dishes That Pair Perfectly With Sake

I enjoyed the appetizer while waiting.

I started with beer. The mug was nicely chilled. Cheers!

The horse sashimi arrived right away! Wait, the basashi I’ve seen at other restaurants looks much redder…
When I asked the staff, they said, “We use carefully selected delicious cuts of horse meat.” I see.

I dipped it in soy sauce mixed with ginger and garlic, and took a bite.
Wow, the rich fat gives it such depth, and the more you chew, the more umami flavors flood out!

If regular restaurant basashi is like lean tuna, this is like eating medium or fatty tuna.
Of course, there are cuts available for those who prefer less fat. With such an extensive menu, there’s something for everyone.


This is a dish with the unusual name “hitomoji guruguru,” a local Kumamoto specialty made by rolling up the region’s famous green onions and serving them with vinegar miso sauce.
The crispy textured onions are refreshing with the vinegar miso. So delicious.

At this point, I couldn’t resist moving on to sake. Naturally, I chose from Kumamoto’s local selection.

Junmai Ginjo “Taito” – I choose you!

During this time, customers kept arriving steadily, and within about 30 minutes, the restaurant was nearly full.
If you want to be sure to get in, making a reservation seems advisable.

To finish, I had bajiru (horse meat soup). Simply put, it’s the horse meat version of pork miso soup, and it’s incredibly delicious!
The tender, fall-apart horse meat inside, the flavorful soup rich with dashi and miso. Rich yet gentle, a taste I could eat every day.

Final Thoughts

Since I came alone and had other restaurants I wanted to visit, I couldn’t eat much, but it was a wonderful establishment in terms of both food and service.
Next time, I want to come with a large group and try all the different horse meat dishes! The fish dishes look intriguing too.

This is an absolute must-visit restaurant when you come to Kumamoto!