This exceptional beef hails from the island of Hokkaido, a land known for its pristine natural environment and a rich tradition of agriculture. The cattle here graze on nutrient-rich grasses, drink from pure mountain streams, and enjoy a slower pace of life, resulting in beef of extraordinary quality.
Hokkaido Beef is renowned for its delicate marbling, a hallmark of its tender texture and rich, buttery flavor. Unlike other well-known Japanese beef, such as Wagyu or Kobe, Hokkaido Beef has its own unique character. The cattle are raised with care, in harmony with the seasons, which imparts a deeper, more pronounced beef flavor, complemented by the luxurious melt-in-your-mouth fat that defines premium Japanese beef.
Every bite of Hokkaido Beef tells a story of craftsmanship, where nature, tradition, and meticulous care come together. Farmers in Hokkaido follow strict methods that have been passed down for generations, ensuring that each cut of beef reflects the purity and beauty of the region.
Cattle were brought to Japan from China in about the second century AD, in the Yayoi period. Until about the time of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, they were used only as draught animals, in agriculture, forestry, mining and for transport, and as a source of fertilizer. Milk consumption was unknown, and – for cultural and religious reasons – meat was not eaten.
Japan was effectively isolated from the rest of the world from 1635 until 1854; there was no possibility of intromission of foreign genes to the cattle population during this time.
Between 1868, the year of the Meiji Restoration, and 1887, some 2,600 foreign cattle were imported, including Braunvieh, Shorthorn and Devon.
Between about 1900 and 1910, there was extensive cross-breeding of these with native stock. From 1919, the various heterogeneousregional populations that resulted from this brief period of cross-breeding were registered and selected as "Improved Japanese Cattle". Four separate strains were characterized, based mainly on which type of foreign cattle had most influenced the hybrids, and were recognized as breeds in 1944. These were the four wagyu breeds, the Japanese Black, the Japanese Brown, the Japanese Polled and the Japanese Shorthorn. The Tajima is a strain of the Japanese Black, the most populous breed (around 90% of the four breeds).
Full menu to be announced soon.
