Product Summary (Registration No.164)

Registration No.164 十勝若牛

Registered name (Transcription) : 十勝若牛（Tokachi Wakaushi）
Reference information : Tokachi Wakaushi（Beef）

Category of product

Class 2 : Fresh Meat(Beef)

Production Area

Shimizu Town, Kamikawa county, Hokkaido

Registered Group

JA Tokachi Shimizu

Characteristics

Unlike the tenderness derived from fat marbling characteristic of black-haired Japanese cattle, it is a lean beef characterized by its tender meat quality due to fine texture and juiciness of meat rich in umami when chewed. As a healthy red meat, it is in high demand and is traded at a higher price than beef from the common Holstein breed.

Link with the Production Area

Shimizu Town was developed by Eiichi Shibusawa, often referred to as the “father of modern Japanese economy,” and Kinya Machimura, who promoted modern dairy farming. The region has a long history of dairy farming and is also known for its thriving beef cattle production, utilizing male calves as beef cattle. Response to the liberalization of beef imports in 1991, beef cattle production in the region shifted to a system focused on young cattle fattening, which maximizes the flavor of lean meat. This transition established a unique production method that combines the highest quality with economic efficiency through unique fattening techniques.