Kirk here. This isn’t local news but there is a Kumamoto connection. On this evening’s NHK news, Takerufuji’s mom said that she frequently sends him basashi. The people of Kumamoto are the leading consumers of basashi but the delicacy is also enjoyed in Aomori, Takerufuji’s home prefecture, Fukushima, and Nagano.
By the way, we’re approaching sakura (cherry blossom) season and “sakura niku” (cherry blossom meat) happens to be a common euphemism for basashi. There seem to be at least a couple of theories about the reason why but I’m pretty sure that the pink or red color has something to do with it.
