Meat consumption in public in Japan was banned from 675 until 1872 when Meiji government lifted the ban

Picture: Japanese customers now can enjoy meat

"In 675, the avid Buddhist Emperor Tenmu proclaimed the prohibition of meat consumption...From that point onward until 1872 when the Meiji Government finally lifted this ban, the general population was not able to eat meat in public"

Source: Healthy and Delicious Washoku

By Yukio Hattori

Nipponica

No 8, 2012, page 13