Visiting a producer of the Tajima cow, the Ueda stock raising.

We met the Kobe beef produced the Tajima cows which became a bare cow which Kawamura are particular about again this time.

It is Ueda stock raising in the Kami town of Hyogo prefecture to have calld this time. And I heard a story from Shinya Ueda who was a producer gave valuable time to me.

We purchase a calf for nine months in after birth brought up in a breeding farmhouse , and most of production farming families can be brought up from there to shipment, but it is bred approximately 200 breeding cows by the Ueda stock raising and performs all to shipment.

It is famous that there are skiing areas in the outskirts, and the heat and cold is intense,and the cow that the spring was brought up with much areas on the beautiful earth and clean air dose not know the stress. It is won a honorary prize at a competitive show and produces the best Tajima cows till now.

The Kobe City Central Wholesale Market west market

The west market does facilitation of the edible meat circulation and the stable supply of the edible meat that can feel relieved as a circulation foothold of the Kobe beef.

■Visit in inside of the west market

Muzzle pattern

Muzzle pattern is a pattern of cow's nose. It is the one to identify the individual in cow's (Japanese Cattle) world, and the same one doesn't exist as two as well as person's fingerprint.

The left image is a calf registration certificate.
This is the certificate which is the Japanese Black Cattle that the lineage is definite. All the Japanese Black Cattle have a herdbook called "the calf registration certificate". Muzzle pattern that is surrounded by a large red circle in the lower left.
Father and mother are written in this herdbook, and even three generation can be confirmed.


*Click image to see bigger image

Kawamura’s beef shape forming

Beef Steak Kawamura has no compromise on Kobe Beefs that they serve. For instance, they are particular about such a point.
Apparently, weight of Steak generally indicated mostly contains fat parts, but we serve a Steak after removing unnecessary fat parts in advance and making it a net lean beef.
Weights of beef indicated in Kawamura’s course menus or single items are weights after shape forming removing these fat parts and fibrous meats.

Menu composition of Kobe Beefs

The Highest Award (Champion) Winning Kobe Beef, 1-3 quality award winning Kobe beefs, 4-5 excellent award winning Kobe beefs are selected in each auction market (competitive exhibition/fair) from among cows and bullocks of Kobe Beef Cattle and the others are non-title Kobe Beefs.
Concerning Grand Champion and Honorary Award winning beefs are selected from all cattle of the nation in commemorative bidding which is held 3-4 times a year or every other year.

About Menu composition of Kobe Beef, price is set depending on each award.

Beef Steak Kawamura Introduction of Steak Masters

In ordinary Steak restaurant, apparently master chefs or staffs in charge inspect newly arrived beefs, but in Kawamura, the managing chef does it himself and he’s persistent in the authentic all the time. And also, next-generation chefs who take over the original managing chef’s DNA will also take over the business from age to age.

The original managing chef

Haruji Kawamura

It’s Over 40 years since he initiated this business. He’s making efforts facing Kobe Beefs day by day.
He’s staying in front of steel plate as the managing chef. And moreover, he’s proactively acting for activating the whole market of Kobe Beef more and more going to producing districts to deepen an association with producers and exchange opinions so that he can all the time serve the best Kobe Beef..

The second-generation managing chef

Tsuyoshi Kawamura

Currently, he is struggling as the second generation and also an owner of the on-line shop. He’s ready to do his best to realize the aspiration of the original managing owner more than now.

The third-generation

Yusuke Kawamura

Born in the 63rd year of Showa era (1988), in Kobe. He’s still under ascetic training under the original managing owner.

Total manager of restaurant

Akihiro Takemura

Born in the 30th year of Showa era (1955). He has been managing restaurants as a right-hand man since Beef Steak Kawamura was initiated.

We went to Kobe Beef's home province

We finally met one of Kobe Beef producers.
This time, we visited Maruse Stockbreeding Inc. Seto ranch located in Sanda City.
We could talk with the managing director, Mr. Kazutaka Seto who kindly spared time for us.
In Maruse Stockbreeding Inc., about 700 cows are bred and around 300 Kobe Beef cattle are produced every year.
The company is proud of being one of the largest-scale and greatest quality in the prefecture and always produces lots of award winning beef cattle. We were impressed by his appreciable "posture" and "passion" as a producer.
Beef Steak Kawamura is persistent in stocking with high-quality cow beefs in both quality and taste. We could build up our self-confidence more, thinking, "This is a genuine Kobe Beef!", which we've sought.
We'd like to keep serving the highest "quality" and "assurance"/"trust" so that we can meet producers' expectations. Thank you very much, everyone in Maruse Stockbreeding Inc., Director Mr. Seto.

We went to join bidding for Tajima Beef.

We went to look on bidding for Tajima Beef held in Sanda City on November 10th, 2007.
In this time's bidding, Kazutaka Seto, Maruse Stockbreeding Inc. ,who let us look around the production site in September, also placed its products on show. The bidding started with a brisk voice "This is cool!" and Tajima beefs affectionately bred by producers were knocked down on and on.
There was the Competitive Exhibition honorary award winning beef among those that Mr. Seto placed on show.
All the beefs placed on show were really fantastic and it proved the excellence of Tajima beef, so we couldn't help feeling the high-level fattening skills and pride of the cattle farmers in Hyogo Prefecture.
Beef Steak Kawamura feels like going on serving genuine Kobe beefs with the highest quality to many more customers under cooperation with producers from now as well. Finally, I would like to thank to Mr. Seto, the managing director of Maruse Stockbreeding Inc., and producers who kindly let us join in.

Visiting to the Seto's kobe beef farm house with a customer from Germany.

24th of October, Mr. and Mrs. Mai came from Hamburg, Germany to visit Mr. Seto who is Kobe beef breeder.

In Germany, Kobe beef is well known and there is a lot of information about. So that are quite interesting and they visited the farm. After visited the farm, Mr. and Mrs. Mai came to our Sannomiya flagship restaurant to enjoy Kobe beef meal and went back to Germany.

We continue activity with Mr. Seto and other Kobe cattle breeders in Hyogo Pref. to spread world brand cattle "Kobe beef (cattle)" more.

What is Kobe Beef Cattle?

What do you come up with when hearing Kobe Beef Cattle? I guess most of you imagine something like an expensive brand-name beef cattle. What on earth is Kobe Beef Cattle really like?
In this page, we respectfully introduce information concerning Kobe Beef Cattle that Kawamura’s being particular about. If you read through this page once, we are sure you’ll be able to understand the value and preciousness.

Kobe Beef Cattle doesn’t exist!?

You might be surprised at this unexpected title. In fact, if you travel around ranches in Kobe City or Hyogo Prefecture, or even Japan to seek for cattle named “Kobe Beef Cattle”, you’ll know it doesn’t exist.
Then, why is there a beef called Kobe Beef Cattle in restaurants? Actually, “Kobe Beef Cattle” is a kind of colloquial term in accordance with Matsusaka Beef Cattle/Omi Beef Cattle and the genuine name is called “Kobe Beef” or “Kobe meat”.
Also, we don’t call the cattle born and bred in Kobe “Kobe Beef”, either. There are only a few ranches in Kobe and even the cattle grow up within the site is not called “Kobe Beef”.

As a matter of fact, there is a group named Kobe Meat Logistics Promotion consociation which was founded under cooperation of producers/edible meat logistics industry/consumers and the title of the highest-class beef, “Kobe Beef ””Kobe Meat” are given to only those that’s cleared the strict definition set by this consociation.
That’s why there is no innate “Kobe Beef Cattle” and “Kobe Beef Cattle” isn’t used for describing the cattle bred in Kobe. Please keep in mind that Kobe Beef Cattle is a kind of colloquial term of “Kobe Beef”, ”Kobe Meat”. It’s a bit of trivia.

*In Beef Steak Kawamura, we address “Kobe Beef”/”Kobe Meat by “Kobe Beef Cattle”, taking the fact that “Kobe Beef Cattle” is the most known name in general into account, for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary confusions on the website.

Kobe Beef’s derivation

Kobe Beef that we explained about in “Kobe Beef Cattle doesn’t exist!?” In fact the history is quite long, it extends back to the period from the end of Edo Period to the very beginning of Meiji Period. 「Kobe Meat Logistics Promotion Consociation 」According to the official Home Page, on December 7th, Keio 3 (January 1st , 1868), which is 140 years back from now, Kobe became a first trade port in Japan and the opening ceremony was held. In those times, foreigners ate beef in Kobe and the good taste got known well. Since then, the beef has been appreciated as “Kobe Beef” and the name became worldwide. Eventually, what people looked forward to when coming to Japan was said “seeing its scenic lands and eating Kobe Beef”. We heard. Before long, Kobe’s beautiful beef came to be introduced as “Kobe Beef” and was catching on as an international brand.

Looking into what happened in Keio 3(1868) further more, the transfer of power back to the Emperor was apparently done in that year. “Kobe Beef ” gave its first cry in the very turbulent period. In the end of Edo period, did celebrities, who shined with the Meiji restoration, eat Kobe Beef?

Reference Data: The transfer of power back to the Emperor was a political case in which the 15th Barbarian Subduing Generalissimo of Edo shogunate, Yoshinobu Tokugawa made an offer to transfer the sovereignty back to the imperial court on Nov. 9th, 1868 (Oct.14th ,Keio 3 in old calendar) in the end of Edo period. (quoted from free encyclopedia, ”Wikipedia” )

Definition of Kobe Beef

We think now you understand “Kobe Beef Cattle” doesn’t mean the cattle bred in Kobe. Then, what is Kobe Beef really like? Breeding Cattle of Kobe Beef/Kobe Meat are Tajima Beef Cattle.

Concerning Tajima Beef Cattle　

“Tajima Beef Cattle have been bred in Tajima Area since ancient times and they are written “suitable for cultivation, towing and food” in continuing series of Japan Chronicles.
Before Edo Period, they were used for cultivating fields and transportation. They were actively bred in Tajima Area because of the long life, rebreeding performance and strong fertility and cattle market was begun in the Yabu Marketplace (now in Yabu City) and dealt up to then capital and areas around. Tajima Beef Cattle were in small size, powerful, and good in feedstuff efficiency, so they seemed to be popular.

After Meiji Period started and beef eating culture became widespread, they came to get people’s attention as Kobe Beef. The name of Kobe Beef is said to be derived from some stories like that the beef that foreigners, who lived in the enclave of Kobe, obtained in Kobe and ate was tremendously tasty, like that the beef that foreigners, who lived in the enclave of Yokohama, obtained from Kansai Area, where people produced in a large quantity, always came through Kobe. In either way, that is believed Tajima Beef.

In Meiji Period, production of crossbreed with foreign breeds such as England growth, shorthorn Devon Breed or Switzerland growth, Brown Swiss Breed for breed improvement, but that caused worsening fleshy substance or lowering labor ability, so crossbreeding was canceled in a short while.
In 1898 (Meiji 31), Cattle Registration List, which was like family registry, was applied to administer a bloodline of cattle and such cattle as crossbred with foreign growth were removed since 1911 (Meiji 44). Also, the cattle were never crossbred with other area growth breed varieties so that we could go ahead with the refinement of the bloodline and improvement and the lineage which called ”Tsuru” was bred. There are 3 main Tsuru which are Atsuta-Tsuru, Fuki-Tsuru, Yoshi-Tsuru.

Tajima Beef Cattle are breeding cattle of brand Beef, such as Kobe Beef, Matsusaka Beef, Iga Beef, Omi Beef, Hida Beef due to its good quality and fleshy substance. Moreover, Tajima Beef Cattle are often used for breed improvement.”(quoted from free encyclopedia (Wikipedia) ) That’s it.

That means the origin of Kobe Beef is same as that of Matsusaka Beef, Iga Beef, Omi Beef, Hida Beef.

Among this Tajima Beef Cattle, The one

• of which “BMS”, which is marbling percentage of fleshy substance, is over 6
• of which lean tissue’s percentage is rank A or B
• of which weight of dressed carcass is under 450 kilograms

is defined as a Kobe Beef.

In short, only a handful of cattle from among the highest quality Tajima Beef Cattle, which fill the strict conditions, can be called “Kobe Beef”. Now you understand the absolute number is small because it’s strictly selected.

Fat composition of Kobe Beef

The more Mono saturated fatty acid the beef contains the better flavor the beef has. It is said.

According to the result of the analysis of the fatty acid composition of the chuck of the 315 fattened cattle in Beef Producing Ability Test held by Hyogo and other 4 prefectures(A-D) in Chugoku Area, Kobe Beef turned out to contain more Mono saturated fatty acid compared with other prefecture growth beefs.

Boar acid contained amount of Kobe Beef

Graph of boar acid contained amount of Kobe Beef Glutamic acid abundantly contained in dried kelp and boar acid abundantly contained in bonito have a great influence on an attractive quality of edible meat.

Content of boar acid contained in the each chuck of 54 fattening Japanese Black Cattle is largely different depending on the breeding cattle (A-L) and Kobe Beef turned out to contain it more than the others.

In both the flavor and lusciousness, Kobe Beef is numerically superior to the others, so Kobe Beef is undoubtedly the best one!!

Data offering: Hyogo pref. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishers Research Center, Livestock Division.

Nojigiku stamp

Kobe Beef is stamped with Nojigiku stamp”.
Hyogo Pref. growth beefs are all checked on BSE and those have passed the check are bought and sold as Hyogo Pref. growth beefs (Tajima Beef) and those have filled the grading standards of the Hyogo Pref. growth beefs are admitted “Kobe Beef ” and stamped with “Nojigiku stamp” which is a proof of Kobe Beef.

Bronze Statue

The bronze statue which is laid in the stores appointed by the Kobe Meat Logistics Promotion Consociation is also a proof of Kobe Beef.

Certificate of Kobe Meat

The Kobe beef which meets the strict requirements is with “Certificate of Kobe Beef” as a proof of it. Beef Stake Kawamura keeps treating authentic Kobe Beefs, so the certificates of the beefs purchased in the past are laid side-by-side in each restaurant.

Individual Identification Number

■What’s Individual Identification Number?
In 13th year of Heisei (2001), a cow infected with BSE was found for the first time in Japan. This brought to the publication of ”Special Measures Law concerning administration and communication of information for Individual Identification of Cattle ”, of which purpose is to secure the trust towards safety of beefs. By this law, all cattle bred in Japan are due to be earmarked with an ear tag printed 10 digits Individual Identification Number and with this Individual Identification Number, the gender, class of cattle, in the case of beef cattle, the way of breeding, even slaughter are recorded in database.

■The same number when being a beef
Since the 16th of December, 2004, every thing from the process (dressed carcass → sub primal → dressed beef) to the arrival at consumers has come to be administered with this Individual Identification Number. This enables consumers the traceability of beefs (obtaining the information of production, logistics and so on). Briefly, consumers are able to trace back all the process of beefs such as production, logistics by the number.

To my regret, even if you search for the Individual Identification Number, it doesn’t indicate “Kobe Beef” and “Kobe Beef Cattle”.
As above, you can trace all the course of beefs if you check the Individual Identification Number, but “Kobe Beef” is a title which is given to the highest class beef, which’s cleared strict definitions set by the Consociation. That’s why it hasn’t got anything to do with traceability which is a first purpose of Individual Identification Number.