Eating venison in Japan... to save the environment?
Venison is no longer a part of the Japanese national diet. Experts, however, are encouraging the carnivores among us to start eating this game meat more frequently -- to help with the drastic deer overpopulation problem.
Japanese deer numbers have expanded 70% in the two last decades, now reaching over 875,000. What's so wrong with having too many adorable Bambis, you ask? Unfortunately the deer harm rare plants and trees, such as oak and slow-growing elm. Professor Koichi Kaji, of the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, warns that deer overgrazing leads to soil erosion, which poses a threat to natural watersheds.
So why eat them? Of the over 140,000 deer culled annually, nearly 100,000 carcasses are wasted -- incinerated or buried -- at a great expense to local governments. Raising the economic value of deer meat could encourage more hunters to aid in the cull, and profits would help cover the costs of managing deer populations. (To learn more on the deer overpopulation problem, read this Japan Times article.)
Where to eat venison in Tokyo
Okay, so you want to help with the deer overpopulation problem. Where do you start?
First the good news: Venison is not as gamey in flavor as you may imagine think. Deer meat is lean and has a unique depth of flavor. Bad news: Most venison dishes in Tokyo can be on the pricey side -- about ¥10,000 per person.
Venison is available throughout the year at French restaurant Brasserie Manoir (Hiroo 1-10-6, Shibuya-ku, tel. 03 3446 8288) in Hiroo, while restaurants such as the German Zum Einhorn in Kamiyacho (Roppongi 1st Building B1F, Roppongi 1-9-9, Minato-ku, 03 5563 9240) serve it only during the game season. Zum Einhorn offers a refined take on traditional German dishes: for example, roasted venison with a wild mushroom sauce.
For a slightly more casual encounter with deer meat, try Matagi in Nakameguro (Nakmeguro Mansion 1F, Kamimeguro 1-5-10, Meguro-ku, tel. 03 3792 3395). This upscale izakaya specializes in hearty venison dishes such as grilled deer yakiniku and healthy venison nabe hot pot.
A Ta Guele: High cuisine meets Japanese tradition
At A Ta Guele (Ebisu 1-23-15 1F, Shibuya-ku, tel. 03 3449 8757), Chef George Somura has started serving venison earlier than usual this year to help with the overpopulation problem. He also believes that it's important for chefs to remind people of the natural flavor of wild game meats like venison, since most of the meat consumed in Japan is farmed.
"I want to use natural things, like venison, boar and wild vegetables, so we don’t forget them and lose our respect and appreciation for nature," he says.
Even though venison was traditionally part of the Japanese diet, the meat has fallen out of fashion in recent days.
"People no longer know how to cook it. Over the generations, people have forgotten the old food culture," he laments.
Somura’s Christmas menu will feature a carpaccio of Yezo venison leg. His other venison dishes include succulent roasts and rich stews.
From both the culinary and environmental perspectives, eating venison in Japan is a win-win situation. Just as Somura says, "There must be a balance between nature and food. For chefs and consumers, the most important thing is to respect and protect the earth."
