Wild Boar

Wild boar (イノシシ, inoshishi) is Japan's second-largest gibier category and a central ingredient in traditional hot-pot dishes like botan nabe (牡丹鍋). Japan's boar population of roughly 900,000 is concentrated in western Honshu and Kyushu, with Hyogo, Gifu, and Miyazaki prefectures leading in processor density. Boar meat is darker and more intensely flavored than pork, with a fat profile that varies significantly by season — richer in autumn after the mast harvest.