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The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper recently sparked
controversy in Japan with an article on consuming raw crow meat, a
practice that experts say could cause serious health problems, even
death.
Last month, the Tokyo Shimbun, one of the most-read newspapers in Japan,
published an article on the consumption of so-called ‘crow sashimi’ (raw
crow meat marinated in various sauces). The journalist basically
described their experience eating crow meat both cooked and raw at a
gathering of crow meat lovers in Ibaraki Prefecture, claiming that the
crow sashimi was both refreshing and easy to chew, compared to the
grilled meat which was extremely tough and dry. The article caused a lot
of confusion online, and the Japanese Health Ministry ultimately posted
a message on its official Twitter account warning people not to indulge
in raw crow meat, as it could cost them their lives.
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The crow’s breast is apparently the best for sashimi, with the dark red
meat served with soy sauce to enhance its taste. Only a few grams of
breast can be harvested from a single crow, but the taste and texture of
the meat are apparently worth it, at least according to the writer of
the controversial Tokyo Shimbun article. It’s different than beef and
fish sashimi, but it doesn’t smell at all and tastes ‘refreshing’.
On the other hand, the charcoal-grilled crow thigh meat was muscular and
therefore very tough, similar to beef jerky.
Although the article did mention that Japan’s Environmental Health
Division advised against the consumption of raw crow meat, because of a
considerable risk of food poisoning, many considered that the overall
tone of the article was positive, and crow sashimi actually became a
popular topic online. It became so popular that experts felt that they
had to put out a warning about consuming raw crow meat.
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The Japanese Health Ministry took to Twitter to warn people that
although eating crow meat is not illegal, consuming it raw involved a
severe risk of infection with the hepatitis E virus, enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli, as well as various parasites, which could prove fatal.
The Health and Sanitation Division of Ibaraki Prefecture also advised
against the consumption of raw crow meat, adding that it would not file
a complaint against the Tokyo Shimbun, but asking other outlets to avoid
promoting the practice.
It’s unclear how popular raw crow sashimi is in Japan right now, but
judging by the number of Twitter posts mentioning the unusual dish,
there are many curious to try it.
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