Photo/Illutration Slices of boar meat for the “botan” hotpot are set out nicely. ( Provided by the Tanbasasayama Tourism Association)

The hunting season opened in mid-November, and wild boar dishes are now being served at restaurants in the Tanbasasayama city area of Hyogo Prefecture.

One popular boar dish is “botan nabe,” a hotpot featuring slices of meat arranged like a peony flower. It is served at about 40 restaurants in Tanbasasayama.

The stock and miso used and how the dish is eaten are said to vary depending on the establishment. Sausages, pizzas and curry breads featuring boar meat are also available in the city.

Although boar meat sourced in Tanbasasayama is not marketed this year due to swine fever, the city receives boar meat from around western Japan.

Maekawa, a Japanese cuisine restaurant in the center of the city, offers dishes incorporating local ingredients.

An event was held there on Nov. 30 for fans of Karibaichi Sake Brewery, a local company known for its Shugetsu sake.

Guests were served “kakuni,” (sweet-savory braised belly meat), clear soup and other dishes featuring boar meat.

“I think it is best to pair a mellow sake with clear soup,” Kanji Okamura of Karibaichi Sake Brewery said. “We want people to enjoy sake that goes well with each dish.”

Restaurants and shops selling boar meat are listed in a brochure titled “Tanbasasayama jibie: Botan ni aini” (Tanbasasayama gibier: Meet the botan) issued by the city’s tourism association (Tel. 079-506-1535).

They are also listed on the city’s website on tourism called “Gururi! Tanbasasayama.”

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