A town with a rich meat culture - Gotemba - Meat Tour

Gotemba City is a lush highland city located at the eastern foot of Mt. Fuji. When driving through the city, I noticed that I often saw signs for butcher shops. I also saw signs for "horse sashimi" and "ham" everywhere.
After some research, I found that Gotemba City has a population of about 8. There are about 5 butcher shops in the city. (Note: supermarkets are not included.)
According to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 2014, there are 11,604 meat retailers nationwide, or 10 per 9.13 people. The highest number is in Kagoshima Prefecture, with 17.15, so this figure clearly shows how many butchers there are in Gotemba City. Moreover, it seems that they are not large stores, but rather traditional, privately owned stores that are doing well.
One factor may be its location close to Tokyo, but there are also many popular restaurants where cars with license plates from other prefectures line up in the parking lots on weekends.
Why are there so many butcher shops in Gotemba City? Let's take a closer look at the appeal that attracts so many people.

Fans all over the country! Gotemba horse meat and Kinka pork

The first place we visited was Yamazaki Butcher Shop. It is a famous shop that has many customers from inside and outside the prefecture lining up on weekends. The customers come to try the horse sashimi, which originated here in Gotemba, and the Gotemba Pure Kinka Pork, which is said to be a "phantom pork" due to the small number of pigs produced.

We first asked our guide, Yamazaki Masaya, about the horse meat food culture in Gotemba.
Compared to nationally famous areas like Kumamoto, which is said to date back to the time of Kato Kiyomasa, Gotemba's horse meat history is still relatively short. However, it seems to have a history of more than half a century.
Gotemba was home to the military before the war and the Self-Defense Forces after the war, and has had dealings with butchers in the city for a long time. The fact that there are still so many butchers in Gotemba may be due to the high demand caused by the Self-Defense Forces.
It all started when our predecessor suggested that horse meat be eaten raw without the need for fire, not just for training but also in emergencies such as disasters, and is also highly nutritious.

"Self-Defense Force members are transferred all over the country. Even after they move to their new post, they say, 'I can't forget how delicious the horse meat I ate in Gotemba was,' and they order our horse meat, and that's how our horse meat sashimi spread all over the country.
About 40 years ago, the celebrity George Tokoro tried our food and said in various places, "I've never eaten such delicious horse meat," which seems to have had a big impact on us."

More than one ton of horse meat is sold in stores and online every week. Private stores that handle this amount are rare nationwide, and there are few in Kumamoto, or even in Aizu and Shinshu, which are also known for their horse meat food culture. So why does Yamazaki Butcher's horse meat have so many fans?

"All our horse meat is purchased domestically from whole horses.
They purchase horses from auctions held in several places around the country, from a ranch in Aichi Prefecture, where they fatten the horses for over four months. They are mindful of the environment, both during transportation and at the ranch, to minimize stress for the horses, and are particular about the feed and water they are given.
When the carcass arrives at the store, we debone it ourselves and prepare the meat. Using the experience we have gained, we know the condition of the meat at any given time, so we can determine how long it should be aged. This means we can always deliver the meat to our customers in the best aged condition, and in a fresh state without ever having to be frozen.

With special permission, I was able to see the craftsman cutting the horse meat for sashimi in the workshop, and the way he cut it was so beautiful! Just by looking, you can tell that the deep red horse meat has just the right amount of elasticity and softness.
What's more, I was surprised that even though there was a huge chunk of meat right in front of me, it didn't smell at all bloody.

It's no wonder that so many people have said, "It was fresh, had no peculiar taste, and was very easy to eat!"
Garlic is a typical condiment for horse sashimi, but with this horse sashimi you probably won't need any condiments to mask the odor.
The meat was moist and clung to my mouth, and the more I chewed it, the more flavor and sweetness of the meat filled my mouth, and it disappeared in an instant, almost making me reluctant to swallow it.
Actually, I've loved beef yukhoe since I was a child. I've eaten a lot of Sakura Yukhoe (horse meat yukhoe) and horse meat sashimi, but this horse meat sashimi was exceptional. It's rich in flavor and sweetness, but the balance of lean meat and fat is just right, and it has a refreshing taste, so you can't help but eat one slice after another. It's easy to see why fans who buy it are spreading all over the country.

However, if the horse purchased at the auction is then fattened for an additional four months, it requires a lot of work and costs money for feed, so why go to such lengths?
This is the same dedication and belief of Yamazaki Butcher Shop that is also reflected in the breeding of Jinhua pork, also known as the "phantom pig."

The determination to take on and deliver lives

"In order to be able to deliver delicious meat to our customers with confidence, we believe it is necessary for us to be fully involved. We purchase horses that have been fattened for several months from ranches that we trust. Sometimes we visit the ranch ourselves, but when that is not possible, we ask them to send us photos so that we can follow the horses' growth.
The same goes for Jinhua pigs. They need a comfortable environment, good quality feed, and the right timing for shipping.
We raise our own pork to ensure that these conditions are met in order to deliver the best quality pork.
It's really hard, but I want to do it that much, and being able to do it that much is what makes it fun."

Jinhua pork is a pig native to Zhejiang Province, China. It is a small pig with a mature weight of 100 to 130 kilograms, and is also known in China as "panda pig" due to its characteristic black head and bottom. It is also known for its excellent meat quality, and is famous worldwide as a luxury ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Ham made from Jinhua pork is known as one of the three major hams in the world, along with Jamon Serrano (Spain) and Prosciutto de Parma (Italy). If you are interested in food, you may have heard of Jinhua ham and Jinhua soup.
Because they are small, have little meat, and grow slowly, they are only raised in two places in Japan, including Gotemba.
Purebred Jinhua pork is branded as "Gotemba Pure Jinhua Pork," but because it is so rare, it is rarely available on the market, and so is known as the "phantom pig."

Breeding in Gotemba began in 3 when three horses (one male and two females) were donated by Zhejiang Province, a sister city of Shizuoka Prefecture, and sold off by the Shizuoka Prefectural Small and Medium-sized Livestock Testing Station (now the Small and Medium-sized Livestock Research Center).
Currently, there are four breeding pigs and about 4 fattening pigs being raised on the farm.
While new breeds are being developed through crossbreeding to improve productivity, etc., new breeds cannot be imported from China due to disease prevention reasons, so protecting the purebred Jinhua pig is also an important mission.

Gotemba's climate is characterized by high humidity in the summer but cool temperatures, and extremely cold in the winter.
Because stress can have a major impact on growth, we have turned on heaters in the winter and allowed them to cool down by giving them water baths in the summer, but we have also recently installed air conditioning equipment as a countermeasure to global warming.

"They're more considerate than us humans."
Yamazaki laughs.

"Water is important for living things. Our farm is at the foot of Mt. Fuji, at an altitude of 450m. By coincidence, the temperature of the water here is just right for the pigs. The water is underground water from Mt. Fuji, but at higher altitudes the water is too cold and their stomachs get too cold. If their internal organs get too cold, it can affect their digestion and other aspects of their health, just like it does for pigs and humans."

"Jinhua pork is really delicious. That's why I want more people to eat it. To that end, I want to improve the breeding environment and conditions and somehow increase the number of pigs produced."
This was what Masaya's cousin, Takuya Yamazaki, told us.

"Because we take the lives of living creatures, we take the responsibility and confidence to provide our customers with food that they can enjoy eating." This baton of belief that has been passed down from generation to generation has been firmly passed on to both Masaya and Takuya.

The store is crowded with many customers from outside the prefecture who come to buy products such as horse sashimi, roast pork made with Jinhua pork, and ham, but of course they also sell meat, and they also have a lineup of freshly fried side dishes such as minced meat cutlets. On this day, a regular customer from the neighborhood was buying freshly fried croquettes.
"On weekends, the lines are so long that I can't come and buy it, but I come early on weekdays to buy side dishes for lunch."
said the customer.
No matter how long the lines are, or how famous the restaurant is as a nationally renowned shop, for the people of Gotemba it remains the familiar "town butcher" that has always been there.

Eat the rare Gotemba pure Kinka pork!

I had pork cutlet made from purebred Jinhua pork, Gotemba Pure Jinhua Pork, at Shunsai Yamajo.

"The appeal of Jinhua pork is, above all, the excellent quality of the meat. In particular, the fat has a low melting point and is sweet. Shabu-shabu and sauteed pork are great, but to make the most of this meat's good qualities, I recommend tonkatsu, which can be cooked to perfection."
That's what CEO Shinsuke Otsuki says.

Previously, sauteed pork was on the menu, but due to limited stock, they have now narrowed the menu down to just one item, their most recommended dish: pork cutlet.
The meat used is loin, and the first thing that surprised me was how beautifully pure white the fat was.
The carefully cut pieces are then trimmed to ensure they are of uniform thickness and size, then coated with batter and deep fried at a low temperature for approximately 6 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other side.

First, try it without any condiments to enjoy the flavor of the Jinhua pork meat itself.
I didn't hesitate to take a piece from the middle, but nearly half of the meat was fatty.
The fat was pure white before frying, but now it looks like a jelly with a slight yellowish tint.
I know that the fat in high-quality pork is delicious, but to be honest, I thought there was a lot of fat when I put it in my mouth.
The crispness and bite-ability of the fried food is truly a testament to the skill of professionals.

Wow, sweet!
It's not just sweet, it's creamy and rich. And yet it melts in your mouth. It doesn't leave a greasy feeling in your mouth, and leaves a lingering sweet aftertaste.
The lean meat was also finely textured and tender, and the meat itself had a delicious flavor, so it was delicious even without adding sauce. It might also be good to eat it simply with salt.
The rich flavor and sweetness of this fat is one of a kind. It made sense to me that this is what Yamazaki-san and Otsuki-san meant when they said that this is "pork like no other."

"Many customers request it, but it's hard to get hold of, so we make sure to make a reservation. It would be disappointing to have customers come and enjoy it only if we told them we didn't have it today. As Gotemba's representative pork, we'd like more customers to try it, so we'd be happy if we could increase the amount we receive."

There were people here who had high hopes for the future of Jinhua Pork and Yamazaki and his team.

By the way, what do each store think about having so many businesses in the same city? When I asked the same question to several stores I visited for this interview, I got almost the same answer without a second thought.

"We don't try to trip each other up. Each of us has our own signature products, and we each have confidence in them. That's why I think we have a lot of respect for each other. It's easy to ask for advice when we're in trouble or have a problem."

That's what Yamazaki-san said, but he received some feedback from customers.
"Where's the best place to get prosciutto?"
If asked,
"If you're looking for prosciutto, I recommend that place."
He answered without hesitation, naming other stores.

"Ishikawa Shoten has the longest history in ham making in Gotemba. We learned our craft there, and I think many other shops were also taught by Ishikawa."

Gotemba is unique in that there are individual stores, each with their own area of ​​expertise and proud products.
Next, let's visit Ishikawa Shoten, which was also mentioned by Mr. Yamazaki.

Gotemba Ham, the origin of Gotemba ham

Ishikawa Shoten, also known by the brand name Gotemba Ham, has two stores in the city.
We visited the factory, which is located a short distance from the main store. We were greeted by the representative, Hidetsugu Ishikawa, and his father, Matahide, the chairman, who showed us around.
Inside, the craftsmen were re-wrapping the strings and shaping the smoked hams, the final step before they were put into the smoker. The way they shaped the hams one by one was a true testament to their craftsmanship, even though it was done by hand with great care and dexterity!

Ishikawa Shoten was founded in 41 as a butcher shop supplying the army, and has since operated as a beef and pork specialty store.
They started making ham in the early Showa period. At the time, Gotemba was home to a villa area for foreigners known as Americamura, and they still faithfully reproduce the recipes they learned from a German man named Friedrich who lived there.
It is said that ham production became popular in Gotemba because of the abundance of meltwater from Mount Fuji and the fact that it is located at a high altitude and is cooler than other areas even in summer.

"Even now, when convenient tools and technology have become more advanced, why do you continue to use traditional methods?"

The moment I peered into the back room of the factory, filled with the dazzling aroma of wood and smoke, I stopped asking questions because I didn't think there was any need to ask.

There was a large stone boiling pot. And further back was a smoking oven shaped like a sturdy safe, smoked black. Both have been used by Ishikawa Shoten since they first started making ham, and when they built this new factory, they carefully moved them over and took over the business.

I was so overwhelmed by its presence and power that I couldn't help but ask the question.
"This isn't logical."
The boiling pot and smoking kiln silently but eloquently spoke of the time that the Ishikawas have accumulated and the skills that have been passed down over generations.

The bacon and ham are smoked overnight to give the meat an appetizing aroma.
By the way, it apparently takes about two months from the time the meat is processed to the time it is ready to be roasted, so during this interview I was reminded that it's only natural that "real" ham and bacon are so expensive.

"The boiling pot is made from Izu stone, a specialty of Izu, and is a Goemon bath. Even today, we use firewood for the fire. The firewood is mainly cherry trees, and most of it is felled within Gotemba city. None of the meat we use is from Gotemba, but it is all safe and secure domestic meat. While incorporating new technology and the best of the times, we want to carefully preserve the techniques, tools, and flavors handed down from ancient times."

After leaving the factory, we stopped by the "Inter Store," located close to Gotemba Interchange on the Tomei Expressway.

When asked what his most recommended product was, the chairman mentioned roast ham made using traditional methods.
"We're proud of our roast pork, which we roast for four hours, and we've made a new product using that pork: roast pork rice balls. It's really delicious."
" I was impressed by how he said this with a smile on his face. New products are appearing one after another.

The roast pork used in the Chairman's prized rice balls is a traditional flavor that began to be made at the same time as the ham was made.
The roast pork, which is grilled over charcoal for 4 hours, has a fragrant charcoal aroma and the deliciousness of the sauce is thoroughly infused into the natural flavor of the pork. It goes well with rice or as a snack with alcohol. You can tell them the desired number of grams and they will slice it for you on the spot, which is a unique experience you can only get at a butcher shop.

In addition to processed products such as the Gotemba Ham brand, which is the shop's signature product, the store also has a large showcase lined with fresh meat. While we are increasingly seeing packaged meat in supermarkets, this reminded me of the Showa-era "town butchers" that I used to go to when I went to run errands as a child. However, the store also has charcuterie (processed meat products) such as prosciutto and beer shanks, which are perfect accompaniments to wine and beer, which I think meets modern needs.
Just like with their ham making, this shop conveys an attitude of valuing the good old things while also being flexible in incorporating the latest developments and good things.

There is one more shop that cannot be left out when talking about the history of traditional ham making in Gotemba.
It's less than a 5-minute drive towards Hakone from Ishikawa Shoten Interchange store, and the surrounding area is filled with greenery and the townscape has a somewhat resort-like atmosphere, with a yellow sign as a landmark.

Americamura and the history of ham making

Although it was a weekday, the parking lot was lined with cars, mostly with license plates from other prefectures. Ninooka Foods is a shop where many customers line up to buy their traditional bacon and the shop's specialty, bologna sausage.

We immediately had a tour of the factory located on a large premises. As production of bologna sausage increased, a factory was built in another location in the city, but the bacon and smoked ham are still made here.
When we opened the large iron door, the smoke that had been filling the room blew out so much that it was impossible to see inside. The smell of firewood and smoked food filled the air. The large oven, which can hold 90 hams, was black from smoking, telling of its long history. A thick layer of white fat had piled up on the floor from the bacon and ham.

They use carefully selected cherry wood. The logs used for smoking need to be odorless and have the right hardness. Cherry wood has a nice scent and is also a standard smoking chip.
According to our guide, the third-generation executive director, Naoyuki Serizawa,
"This area of ​​Gotemba is also famous for its cherry blossoms. I guess it's been easy to get hold of them since long ago. Nowadays, we use the branches that are pruned during maintenance."
Ninooka Foods has been making ham and bacon using the same methods since they first started making ham in the early Showa period, and the same goes for the firewood they use. They've always used cherry logs.

The bacon, which was smoked for five hours, was a brilliant amber color.
This bacon has a concentrated meaty flavor, and the more you chew it, the more the smoked aroma fills your nose. It's delicious when sliced ​​and eaten as is, but I chopped up a small amount and fried it with asparagus, and was surprised by how delicious it was, with a wonderful concentrated meaty flavor and aroma.
"Not only the loin ham but also the bacon has a traditional taste that has not changed since we first started making it. We are very confident in our products."
I can understand what you mean.

When I asked him about the company's founding, he showed me some very valuable documents.
Ninooka Foods' history dates back to before the war.

Gotemba, where the maximum temperature in midsummer never exceeded 30 degrees, was known as a summer resort on par with Karuizawa and Hakone since the Meiji period, thanks to its coolness and beautiful scenery with Mount Fuji up close.
In 1891 (Meiji 24), an Englishman who got lost while going into the mountains of Hakone to collect alpine plants was rescued by Ninooka Shrine, and was so captivated by the beauty of Mount Fuji that he built a villa there. After that, villas for celebrities and foreigners were built one after another, and the area became a villa area commonly known as America-mura.
At the time, the meat-eating culture that foreigners wanted had not yet taken root in Japan, and they were unable to obtain the ingredients, so they started something like a pig farming association. This was the predecessor of Ninooka Foods.

The American missionary, Mr. Bolden, played an important role at this time.
There are records that he popularized pig farming, as well as teaching methods for making ham and sausages, growing corn and tomatoes, raising chickens and turkeys, and making Western-style furniture.
It seems that full-scale ham production began at the beginning of the Showa era.
However, in 1936 (Showa 11), as the footsteps of war were growing, the Boldens also decided to leave Japan.
At that time, it was Masasaku Serizawa, the founder of Ninooka Foods, who tried to protect the taste and techniques.

Upon further investigation, we found that Bolden first came to Japan around 1906. He came to Fukuoka as a missionary, and there are records of him carrying out various activities in Tokyo as well.
Until the Tanna Tunnel was opened in 1934 (Showa 9), the line between Numazu and Kozu ran on the current Gotemba Line. Perhaps he was fascinated by the view of Mt. Fuji from Gotemba as he made many trips back and forth between Fukuoka and Tokyo. There is a record that in 1907, Bolden built a villa in Gotemba.

The Serizawa family still treasures the letter that was written on the ship returning to Japan and the enclosed photo of the couple. At first glance, the letter appears to be written in English, but upon closer inspection, it is written in Roman letters.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you."

This was probably done so that the Serizawa family and others involved in Nino-Oka could easily read the letter. Written in romanized letters, it seems to convey Bolden's thoughtfulness and kindness, as well as how happy they were to spend their time together and how they never wanted to part ways.

"In the past, we would slightly change the amount of salt and the mixture of spices depending on the season. But now both homes have air conditioning and refrigeration, so there's no need to change it with the seasons. It's not just the recipes, but also the salting, desalting and draining, as well as wrapping the ingredients in cotton and wrapping them with string. It's all handmade methods that have been passed down through the generations, and we intend to continue to protect them."

It's not just letters and documents that are carefully preserved, but also the strong bond with Mr. Bolden and the traditional techniques and flavors that have been passed down. I believe that these are the most irreplaceable assets.

And there is another signature product of Ninooka Foods that should not be forgotten.

"He probably had heard how to make it, but my grandfather was mostly self-taught and perfected it through trial and error."
That was the bologna sausage that most of the customers queuing up that day were looking to buy.

There were also many customers who appeared to be returning from golfing in Gotemba.
"Whenever I come to Gotemba, I always buy some as a souvenir. My family always asks me to buy some for them. Compared to products from major manufacturers, the shelf life is shorter, so I can only buy a little at a time. Sometimes I even come here just for the ham."
When I spoke to a man dressed in golf wear, he told me this story.

The bologna sausage, packed with the delicious flavor of meat, can be thinly sliced ​​for sandwiches or salads, or cut thickly to make ham steaks. There were also other products lined up in the showcase, including smoked Eisbein, created by the second-generation current president.
This is a store loved by many people who are willing to travel all the way to Gotemba and wait in line to get their hands on the product.

Fujiyama Prosciutto, grown in the Gotemba environment

While there are people who continue to make traditional ham, there are also people who, saying "we can't compete if we do the same thing as other shops," have taken on the challenge of making prosciutto, creating masterpieces that have now become Gotemba specialties.
The last place we will introduce is Watanabe Ham Factory, the creator of Fujiyama Prosciutto, which won the Fujinokuni New Product Selection Grand Gold Award in 1.

This shop first opened as a butcher shop in 1945. In 2004, they renovated part of the store and began making ham.

"Until then, we had been selling loin ham, sausages, bacon, etc., which were made for us by a company in Sengokuhara, Hakone. But that company was getting older and wanted to teach us how to make them, so we decided to renovate the store and make them ourselves. We wondered who would do it, and it turned out that I was just about to graduate from university."

That's what Yoshimoto Watanabe, the third generation owner of Watanabe Ham Factory, told us.

Watanabe graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at a university in Aomori Prefecture, and says that it was just the right fit for him to have a veterinary license, which met the qualifications for a hygiene manager.
Although he was taught the basics of ham making, he is mostly self-taught otherwise, and if there is something he doesn't understand while making the ham, he asks for instruction again.
That's how they started making ham, and just when they were able to produce something they were satisfied with, a customer asked them, "Do you have any prosciutto?"

"Not now."

So it was "now?" I asked.
"I didn't like the idea of ​​'not having it.'"
She said this with a blushing, ticklish look on her face.

"There are already many famous ham and sausage shops in this area, and each one is already very well-known. No matter how delicious our products are, we feel we can't compete with them. So we decided to try prosciutto, which no one else is selling."

Watanabe is mostly self-taught in the art of prosciutto, but he graduated from veterinary school. He has some knowledge of biology, and by using his natural intelligence to read and interpret literature, he felt he could do it. The first test ham he made was hard and smelly and not suitable for sale, but it wasn't rotten and tasted good, so he felt he had a good idea of ​​what to do. Since then, he has continued to make small adjustments to get to where he is today.

"In summer, Gotemba is cool, but the wind carrying moisture from Suruga Bay blows, so the humidity is very high. So much so that your glasses sometimes fog up. Winters are cold and dry. This climate seems to be suitable for making prosciutto. Apparently the regions of Italy famous for prosciutto have a similar climate. I've never been there though (laughs)."

It is prepared in the winter when the cold wind known locally as Fuji oroshi blows, and dried in the summer by the wind from Suruga Bay. The Gotemba climate, the time and effort of the makers, and the time it takes to produce this prosciutto that has earned it so many fans.

I have had the Fujiyama Prosciutto ham made by Watanabe many times, and it goes surprisingly well with sake. Personally, I think it pairs perfectly with full-bodied, delicious sake, such as those from Hakuin Masamune in Numazu or Takasago Sake Brewery in Fujinomiya.
Come to think of it, both alcoholic beverages and prosciutto are born from the bounty of Mount Fuji. Perhaps it's a harmony born from the climate.

The store is like a treasure chest, with processed foods such as prosciutto, white mold salami, and sausages, as well as meat and prepared foods. Every time I go there, I have a hard time deciding what to buy.
Among them were products made with venison and wild boar. He started making prosciutto almost entirely on his own, but he has been attracting more and more customers to his company, who are now bringing in not only pork but also wild boar, venison and other game meats, due to his accumulated know-how, track record, and the deliciousness of the finished product.

When we asked him about his dreams and prospects for the future,
"I can't make it public yet though."
With this preface, he spoke about the business he plans to undertake in the future.
It's a secret so I can't write about it here, but I'm excited about what looks set to be a new page in Gotemba's meat culture.
I look forward to hearing good news.

And to the place where it all began

The final stop on our meat tour of Gotemba is the place where the history of Gotemba ham production began.
This is Ninooka Shrine, which was also mentioned in the story of Ninooka Foods.

The origins of Futaoka Shrine are said to date back to Emperor Yamato Takeru's conquest of the Eastern Barbarians. During the Kamakura period, it became a place of worship for the Shogun family, and was also a place of prayer for the Omori, Hojo, and Okubo clans, who were lords of the region.
The shrine is surrounded by a deep, sacred forest, and the word tranquil is the perfect description of its appearance.

If a lost foreigner had never found his way to this shrine, Gotemba's wide variety of hams and charming individual shops may never have come into being.
In fact, when I first visited this shrine, I had absolutely no prior knowledge whatsoever.
After shopping at Ninooka Foods previously, I was intrigued to see what was further inside, and so I ended up here.
I was surprised to find myself in a dense forest, climbing up mossy stone steps, and coming across a scene I'd seen in Kurosawa and Kitano movies. Perhaps this place has a mysterious power of attraction.

After purifying yourself at the chozuya (purification fountain) where cool, clear water flows freely, you bow twice, clap twice, and bow once to the shrine.

Now that we've said our hello to the gods who have protected this land since ancient times, which store should we go shopping at today?
Are you in the mood for bologna sausage today? Or prosciutto? It's nice to make a sandwich with roast ham from your favorite shop. But if you come to Gotemba, horse sashimi is also a must.
You'll also need to consider your wallet and the space in your refrigerator.
You'll be faced with delicious and enjoyable dilemmas, but why not go on a meat-hunting trip in Gotemba?

Writer: Gohantsubu Labo Aoki Rika
Photo: Tsukasa Kozuka