Pig Yume Farm Co., Ltd. has consecutively won the Champion Award at the Miyagino Pork Carcass Competition, where experts evaluate the meat quality of Miyagi Prefecture’s brand pork, “Miyagino Pork.”Located in a quiet town in northeastern Miyagi Prefecture known for its thriving agriculture, the company operates its pig farm on a vast 16,500 square meter site. Their “Miyagino Pork Minori” is highly regarded for its tender, juicy meat and sweet fat. What is the secret behind its deliciousness?

Miyagino Pork Minori: Miyagi Prefecture’s Premium Original Brand Pork

“Miyagino Pork” is a branded pork developed in Miyagi Prefecture. It is bred by cross-breeding the Shimofuri Red boar, resulting in a finely textured meat, a soft and rich flavor, sweet fat, and a refreshing taste. Among these, pigs fed rice during the finishing stage before shipment are called “Miyagino Pork Minori”.Its fat has no cloying richness, so when enjoyed as shabu-shabu, it produces no scum and leaves a refreshing aftertaste, making it highly popular.

Producing pork suited to Japanese culinary culture by feeding domestically grown rice

According to President Sasaki, the proportion of feed rice varies by farm. At Pig Yume Farm, they mix a fixed percentage of domestic rice into the compound feed from the Zen-Noh Group. This increases oleic acid, enhancing flavor and texture while improving the quality of the fat. The result is melt-in-your-mouth, smooth texture.Overfeeding leads to excessive fat and an overly plump finish, making the feed ratio crucial for flavor. He explained that using domestic rice stems from a desire to produce pork suited to Japan’s unique food culture.

They also pay meticulous attention to the feed mixture. Sasaki states, “Breed is important, of course, but feed is equally crucial.” He recalls a time when they altered the feed ratio and consumers pointed out a decline in flavor. After much trial and error, they settled on the current feed. Based on data like protein content, they have a custom feed made for their farm, primarily composed of corn and soybean meal.

Raising pigs healthily in a stress-free environment

Farm manager Yamato Ishikawa, who has been involved in pig farming for 15 years, says, “Raising pigs is still very challenging,” while highlighting disease prevention as his top priority. If the herd contracts swine fever, culling the entire flock becomes unavoidable. Therefore, strict hygiene management is essential. Particular attention is paid to minimizing stress for the pigs.Since interaction with humans causes stress for pigs, staff avoid entering the pig pens except for farrowing or nursing. Furthermore, they pay close attention to the space allocated per pig. Too little space causes stress, while too much space can lead to uneven growth and increase accident rates. Therefore, accurately judging the space needed according to the pig’s growth stage is crucial.

Raising piglets properly is essential for producing quality meat pigs

Many pig farms use veterinary drugs like antibiotics, synthetic antimicrobials, and dewormers for disease treatment and prevention. However, at “Pig Dream Farm,” they raise pigs without using such drugs as a basic principle, so they maintain strict hygiene management in the pig barns.To raise disease-resistant pigs without relying on drugs, it’s necessary to boost their immunity from the piglet stage. This involves ensuring piglets consume sufficient colostrum from their mothers and limiting drug use for illnesses, relying solely on vaccinations.

Consistent management since founding achieves top-level pig farming in the prefecture

Did you know that pigs also have a grading system, similar to the A5 ranking for beef?The Japan Meat Grading Association assigns five grades—”Superior,” “High,” “Medium,” “Standard,” and “Below Standard”—based on quantified criteria like fat thickness, meat firmness, and grain fineness. While beef grading combines “yield grades (A, B, C)” and “meat quality grades (5 to 1)” into a 15-tier system, pork grading is simpler.

While top-grade meat is extremely rare, Sasaki explains, “We aim for pork that is delicious and accessible to the average person, not just a luxury item for a select few.” At Pig Dream Farm, grades of Superior (including Top) and Medium account for over 90% of their output. Though this grading isn’t directly visible to consumers, it serves as a crucial benchmark for measuring quality within the distribution chain.

Thorough Management to Deliver Delicious and Safe Food

Maintaining this high grading requires careful judgment on shipping timing. While the average rearing period is 180 days, some pigs ship as early as 160 days, based on thorough observation of weight and body condition. While many farms rely on visual weight estimation (“meikan”), Pig Dream Farm measures each pig daily before shipping, factoring in yield.

This management approach results in grading performance and shipment volume that rank among the top in the prefecture. At the annual Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Festival (Miyagi Prefecture Comprehensive Livestock Exhibition: hosted by the Miyagi Prefecture Livestock Association), the farm has won numerous “Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Awards” for nearly 20 years (excluding periods when the event was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic).The Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Festival is a celebration aimed at deepening public understanding of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food, while also boosting producer motivation. Originating from Japan’s traditional harvest festival, the Niinamesai, the farm is invited to participate each autumn by the Chief Priest of Meiji Shrine.

Generating Profit Through High-Quality Pig Farming

The current annual shipment target is set between 8,500 and 9,000 pigs. Much of the corn, soybeans, and wheat used in feed relies on imports. Although feed prices have surged due to the weak yen, passing on these costs is difficult.

Shipments decrease in summer due to reduced pig appetite, while winter shipments increase due to the breeding cycle. Increasing summer shipments is expected to boost sales. Therefore, Pig Dream Farm implements countermeasures against summer heat, such as cooling pads that use evaporative cooling to lower air temperature and lime application to reduce roof surface temperatures.

While currently distributing to supermarkets in Miyagi Prefecture through the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, they are also considering sales in Tokyo. Following a highly successful event at the Tokyo Meat Market, they reportedly received requests from wholesalers asking, “We want to carry your products too.”

Production Challenges: Animal Welfare and Aging Facilities

We asked about future challenges. Mr. Sasaki stated, “Animal welfare standards are becoming stricter, particularly in Europe, and methods like free-stall housing are increasingly demanded in Japan too. However, ‘stall housing,’ where sows are kept individually in pens, also has benefits, preventing fights between pigs and the crushing of piglets.” He added that they will continue to closely monitor the government’s animal husbandry management guidelines.

Animal welfare refers to the concept of ensuring livestock are physically and mentally healthy while minimizing stress and suffering, also translated as “livestock management considering animal comfort.”

He also notes that “disease prevention and facilities present challenges.” Over 20 years have passed since the company’s founding. While they continue to use not only the pig barns but also manure processing facilities and machinery, performing repairs as needed, defects due to aging are unavoidable. This remains an ongoing management challenge.

Future Focus: Maximizing Production Value Through “Sixth Industrialization”

When asked about future plans, the response was: “We want to rebuild the farm and create an integrated system handling everything from processing to sales.” The goal is not merely to strengthen production but to pursue “sixth industrialization.” By completing the entire process—from production to processing and sales—in-house, they can enhance added value and more easily maintain brand strength. This approach is expected to offer benefits such as reduced vulnerability to market price fluctuations, building a loyal customer base, and contributing to the local economy.

Miyagino Pork Minori—take one bite and its rich flavor fills your mouth. You’ll be amazed by its light yet sweet fat. We urge gourmet fans nationwide to try it at least once.

The post “Miyagino Pork Minori” enriches your dining table. “Pig Dream Farm” in Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, aims for sixth-sector industrialization in the future. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Okinawa’s proud brand of pork, “Agu,” is characterized by its tender, high-quality fat and sweet flavor. Matayoshi Farm actively raises 100% purebred Agu pigs. The secret to its special flavor lies in the stress-free environment in which the pigs are raised, the high quality feed, and the commitment of the young successors to Agu.

Agu, the brand pig that bears Okinawa’s food culture

Agu, the pride of Okinawa, is a brand of island pig. It is characterized by its tender meat, rich fat, sweetness, and rich, elegant flavor. It is offered at high-end shabu-shabu restaurants and is gaining recognition both inside and outside Okinawa Prefecture as the meat of choice.

Agu pigs are a difficult breed to produce because they are smaller than most pigs, produce less meat per pig, and produce only a small number of offspring. This makes it a rare and highly prized brand of pig.

The origin of Agu pork is said to date back to the 14th century, approximately 600 years ago, when it was introduced to the Kingdom of Ryukyu from Ming Dynasty (present-day China).

After World War II, the number of Agu pigs decreased drastically to about 30, but a research institute at the Hokubu Agriculture and Forestry High School in Nago City took the lead and succeeded in restoring the original breed in 1993 through backbreeding. In 2013, Nago City declared itself the “Home of Agu” as the place where the Ryukyuan native pig, Agu, was revived.

By the way, did you know that there are two types of Agu pigs?

The katakana notation “Agu” refers to pigs born from the crossbreeding of pure-blooded Agu pigs.

In contrast, “Agu” in hiragana refers to farm-raised pork that meets JA Okinawa’s standards, and is a crossbreed between a male Agu pig and a female Western pig, in essence, a “half-Aguu pig.

The smaller Agu gives birth to less than half as many pigs per litter as the Western breeds. By crossbreeding with larger, faster-growing Western breeds such as Landrace and Yorkshire, they are able to produce “Agu pigs” with high meat production while taking advantage of the superior meat quality of “Agu”.

There are 13 farms in Okinawa Prefecture that are designated as “Agu” brand pork producers, and each farmer uses a different crossbreeding pattern, resulting in pigs of different sizes and meat quality.

Matayoshi Farm, a livestock producer and farmer in Nago City in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island, has focused on crossbreeding close to the original breed in its uncompromising pursuit of “100% purebred x purebred” Agu pigs.

Matayoshi Agu” raised in a stress-free environment and on carefully selected feed

Matayoshi Farm is located at the foot of Mount Awadake in Nago City, where as many as 400 Agu pigs are raised. The land, which is a quarry area, was originally owned by the Matayoshi family and used to be a tangerine farm. Although Okinawa is hot and humid throughout the year, it is surrounded by forest and cool in the shade, making it a comfortable environment for the pigs.

One of the characteristics of the “Matayoshi Agu” brand pigs is that they are raised in an environment where they can run around freely from one month after birth. The pigs are raised in a spacious and stress-free environment, which leads to better meat quality and tenderness.

They also do not use any hormones or antibiotics, and are additive-free.

Founded in 2004, Matayoshi Farm was incorporated in 2013, and in 2021, the main members, led by sales leader Asataro Matayoshi, were replaced by young members in their 20s.

Under the management philosophy of “continuing to bring peace of mind to the community through food,” the company is focusing on increasing the rarity and brand value of its “pure-blooded Agu pork.

The Agu pig is half the size of a normal pig and produces half as many pigs as a normal pig, making it a difficult breed from a business model standpoint, but its superiority in taste is outstanding. We would like to continue to take on this challenge by carefully preserving the original breed,” says Matayoshi.

While Western breeds are fattened up in about six months, it takes about 10 months to fatten up an Agu pig. Because of the cost of feed, the unit price is maintained by branding the pigs.

The problem is that the production volume is limited. We can increase the quantity by fattening the pigs up quickly, but the biggest fear is that the meat quality will deteriorate. Every time we ship, we look at the actual product and check the amount of fat on it,” he says. The desire to preserve the original Agu breed by sticking to pure blood can be clearly felt.

He is also particular about feed, feeding two types of feed, adjusting the balance and quantity according to the stage of growth.

The white feed is the staple food for the pigs and is a formula feed in accordance with JA’s regulations for Agu pigs.

The brown one is Matayoshi Farm’s original fermented feed containing beer lees, rice bran, and pineapple lees. The nutrients in the lees contain lactic acid bacteria and are expected to improve the intestinal environment.

The farm changes the content and quality of the feed according to the growth stage of the piglets, for example, feeding more grain and protein at first and increasing the amount of fermented feed when fattening up piglets to increase their flavor.

While the cost of feed has skyrocketed in recent years and they are struggling, they are negotiating to be able to wholesale their brand as “Matayoshi Agu” at a higher unit price, more than double the price of regular pigs.

He has been negotiating with his customers, including a shabu-shabu restaurant in Naha City, to sell their products at more than twice the unit price of ordinary pigs, under the brand name of “Matayoshi Agu.

The young members of the group are impressive for their straightforwardness: “We frankly tell them about the rising cost of feed and the low productivity of Agu pork, but we also let them taste it and decide if they want to do business with us or not.

Sweet and melt-in-your-mouth Agu pork served in shabu-shabu

Matayoshi Agu” is beautifully fatty.

Agu pork is characterized by its tender meat, rich fatty flavor, and low fat melting point, which makes it melt in the mouth. It is rich in oleic acid, which gives it an aromatic and flavorful taste.

Agu is also high in linoleic acid, which has an almost animal-like sourness and odor, but it also has a wild flavor and is commonly associated with umami.

In addition, Agu has the advantage of having a low melting point of fat, so its “fat is not too sticky. The proof of this is that even when it is cooked, it does not easily become soggy.

The most popular parts of Agu pork are the belly and shoulder loin, and shabu-shabu is said to be the best for enjoying the flavor of the ingredients.

The sweet and easy-to-eat loin is recommended to be served with ponzu (Japanese sauce made of citrus juice and soy sauce) or sesame sauce.

The belly, which has a strong flavor of fat, is tender and does not become hard even when cooked. It goes well with a squeeze of freshly caught shikwasa (citrus fruit) ◎.

Agu’s unique marbling contains many tasty ingredients, and both the lean and fat parts have a rich flavor. The most important point that differentiates Agu is that its flavor is so strong that western varieties seem bland.

Aiming for Livestock Production and Agriculture Rooted in the Local Community

We asked the young trio of sales leader Mr. Matayoshi (center), Mr. Sotoma (left), who is in charge of the processing department, and Mr. Miyagi (right), who is in charge of public relations, about their ambitions for the future.

They said, “With the aging and decline of the farming industry becoming an issue, we want to go against the grain and raise the occupational status of agriculture. We want to raise awareness by actively promoting the production of rare and valuable agu, make the company a place where young people want to try farming, and protect the culture, lifestyle, and scenery of the region.

We would like to strengthen our business model to protect and increase the number of agu seeds we have, based on our “commitment to pure blood.

We want to strengthen our business model, which is based on our commitment to pure blood, while protecting and increasing the number of agu seeds we currently have.

The young successors of the farm, each with his or her own passion, are putting their heart and soul into raising Agu pigs.

They will continue to earnestly pursue the essence of the product without losing sight of its true nature, and will continue to convey the attractiveness of Agu from Okinawa to Japan and the world.

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Momotobuta, a brand of pork that evokes happiness

Located in the north of the Kazuno Basin that stretches across northern Akita Prefecture, Kosaka Town is blessed with nature, with Lake Towada and its broad-leaved forests. The sea of beech, oak, and katsura trees grow thickly, nurturing humus and bringing limpid water to the area. Katsuhiko Toyoshita, president of the Porkland Group, decided to make use of this unchanged natural environment in agriculture and pig farming.

The Porkland Group, which started in 1995 with 1,500 sows, now has four farms, “Porkland,” “Towadako Kogen Farm,” “Farmland,” and “Bioland,” shipping “Momobuta,” which are SPF pigs (clean pigs) free of pathogens specific to pigs.　SPF stands for “Specific” and “Pathogen” free, meaning that the pigs do not have any pre-designated pathogens. Momotobuta” is a brand of pork originally bred by the Porkland Group. The name “Momotobuta” was derived from the light pink color of the meat and the fact that pink is associated with happiness, with the hope that both the pigs and the people who eat them will be happy. Today, the Porkland Group has grown into a large-scale pig farm, shipping approximately 150,000 head of pigs annually.

Twenty-six years ago, Toyoshita entered the industry with no experience in livestock farming. Perhaps that was a good thing, he says. In those days, antibiotics and other chemicals were used in pig farming, and that was the norm, he says. He simply did not want to eat such pigs himself, so he decided to start a pig farm that pursued “food safety” and sought a method of fattening pigs that did not rely on antibiotics and chemicals. If you don’t use chemicals, you can’t make pigs sick. Mr. Toyoshita came up with BMW technology, which stands for B=bacteria, M=minerals, and W=water, a technology that uses bacteria in the soil and minerals in the stones to purify sewage. This technology has been spreading around the world in recent years as more and more farmers aim for organic farming based on natural recycling.

We want to bring happiness to pigs and humans alike.

In addition, since pigs are vulnerable to disease, thorough quarantine control is implemented to prevent the introduction of disease into the farm. Only special vehicles are allowed to drive around the farm, and of course, special vehicles are also used for shipments. In addition, staff who enter the piggery must take a shower before entering. By completely separating the inside from the outside of the farm in this way, the Porkland Group has been certified as a “SPF farm” by the Japan SPF Pork Association, which is known for its rigorous screening process.
When I visited the piggery, I found that it did not have the strong smell of a normal piggery, and many pigs were moving around with lively expressions on their faces. We are also committed to animal welfare. We want to minimize stress and suffering for the pigs so they can live happily on the Porkland farm until they are shipped out. In the end, doing so is a shortcut to growing delicious pigs,” says Toyoshita. Animal welfare is a concept originating in Europe that aims to realize the psychological well-being of animals by minimizing the pain, stress, and other suffering inflicted on them by humans. Animal welfare for domestic animals lists five freedoms: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from physical pain and discomfort, freedom from pain, suffering, and discomfort, freedom from normal behavior, and freedom from fear and grief.

Regarding pig feed, Toyoshita also wanted to do something about the current bias toward imported grain. With the world’s population increasing, if imports were to cease, Japan’s food supply would quickly come to the brink of crisis. Therefore, he began to cultivate rice for animal feed in the fallow rice paddies in the region, and used it to feed his pigs. At first, they used only about 10% of the rice, but they have now increased that to 30%. Toyoshita is confident in the taste of Momo Pork, saying, “Since we increased the amount of rice, the fat has become softer and softer without any smell. Akita’s beautiful nature nurtures the pigs, which are raised using a recycling-oriented agricultural method. The quality of the pigs produced there is steadily spreading.
When we, as consumers, take a fresh look at the life of a pig, whether or not it has spent its life happily may be a more important quality than freshness.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

日本三大地鶏の一つ。世界に認められた「比内地鶏」秋田比内や／秋田県大館市 – NIHONMONO 日本三大地鶏の一つ「比内地鶏」 地鶏として有名なものはいくつもある。その代表格のひとつが「比内地鶏（ひないじど

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Azumino Pastured Pork” Raised at 800-meter Elevation

A well-known meat wholesaler in Nagano Prefecture is eagerly awaiting the introduction of “Azumino Pastured Pork” raised in the mountains of Azumino City, central Nagano Prefecture, at an altitude of 800 meters. It is the ” Azumino Pastured Pork,” which is raised on pasture in the mountains 800 meters above sea level in Azumino City, central Nagano Prefecture.

The pig is raised by Hitoshi Fujiwara, the third generation owner of Fujiwara Chikusan. Fujiwara Chikusan has been focusing on pasture-raised pigs for three generations in this area.

Fujiwara Livestock Breeding has been focusing on pasture-raised pigs for three generations in this area. In order to produce pigs under the company’s brand name, dozens of different kinds of pigs were bred on a trial basis.

They arrived at the Sangenbuta pigs that were being raised in Niigata at the time. The main reason for choosing this breed was its ability to withstand the cold of winter, which is a major obstacle to grazing pigs in the highlands.

After the breed was selected, they went through a process of trial and error in order to maximize the benefits of the highlands for fattening the pigs. One of the ways is to create an environment in which the pigs themselves can live freely in the nature of the satoyama, finding a place where they feel comfortable and free to roam.

In order to ensure that the pigs are fattened up in a healthy manner, efforts have been made to secure sufficient pastureland so that they are not subjected to stress. The fermentation floor using bamboo chips, which was started as a way to make use of surplus local resources, is now indispensable. This fermented floor not only makes the barns more comfortable, but also contributes to the health maintenance of the pigs by providing them with an intestinal regulating effect. Mr. Fujiwara also says that it seems to be effective in producing non-sticky fatty meat.

Pastured Pork” was created through a process of trial and error.

Fujiwara Livestock Breeding’s Commitment

At Fujiwara Chikusan, pigs are fattened for 180 to 200 days, compared to the generally distributed pigs that are shipped from around 160 days of age. Although the longer fattening period is more costly, the meat is more resilient and tastier. This is another unique Fujiwara Chikusan commitment that was born out of a long period of trial and error.

Fujiwara Chikusan also pays attention to feed. The cattle are fed with a rich variety of local ingredients, including hops and malt scraps left over after the beer is squeezed at a local brewery, as well as apples, rice, soybeans, and other produce grown in Azumino. Of course, compound feed is the base of the diet, but by feeding locally grown seasonal ingredients in season, the cattle grow up healthy and in line with the natural cycle of nature, and their meat quality improves as well.

In addition, no antibiotics or hormones are administered to prevent diseases, which have been adopted by many livestock farmers in recent years. The pigs’ own immunity is enhanced by the near-natural environment and food they are fed, which is why these medications are not necessary.

Using Know-How to Update Flavor after Swine Fever Crisis

The pasture-raised pigs were progressing smoothly, but in 2019, when Jin became the company’s representative, the situation suddenly changed.

Nagano Prefecture was hit by swine fever. After pigs infected with swine fever were confirmed at the prefectural livestock experiment station in Shiojiri City, wild boars infected with swine fever were discovered in a mountain forest about 3 km away, and all of the more than 300 pigs being raised at related facilities were slaughtered.

A sow breeder in Niigata, with whom he had been in contact for 30 years, suddenly suspended business with him because of the spread of swine fever in the prefecture. The situation was so devastating that everything they had accumulated up to that point was reduced to zero, but the crisis was saved by a pig farmer in Tateshina. The farmer gave the company a hybrid pork crossed with Duroc, and the company managed to resume pasture-raised pigs. At first, they lost quite a few pigs due to the cold weather and the indigenous bacteria of the pigs that had previously been raised in their barns, but by 2020, with the input of experts, they had established a breeding method that enabled them to maintain a stable supply. Many people say that the new Azumino pastured pork tastes better than the old one, and the company has succeeded in updating the taste while making full use of the experience and know-how accumulated over three generations.

What are the characteristics of Fujiwara Chikusan’s Azumino pastured pork?

Over a long period of time, Fujiwara Chikusan has produced healthy, tasty, and high quality pigs by maintaining an environment as close to nature as possible while paying particular attention to feed and fattening methods.

Azumino pastured pork does not have a distinctive odor or unpleasant taste, and its meat is fine and firm in texture. The healthy, stress-free meat has a thin fat content and can be distributed as is without shaping after butchering. Moreover, the meat is sweet and chewy like wild game, and has a light aftertaste, making it highly valued even by those who do not like fatty meat. The fat has a low melting point due to the exercise and sun exposure provided by pasturage, so it does not cause stomach upset when eaten, and it also produces almost no lye when cooked.

It is no wonder that pork with such high potential has many fans among professionals and amateurs alike, but what further enhances its reliability is its production control system. In addition to thorough production history management, the company has installed new equipment to prevent CSF (swine fever) infection, and has implemented thorough hygiene management in its barns and pastureland.

Bringing Pasture-Farmed Swine to the Nation

The Azumino pastured pigs raised in the mountains of Azumino with as much care and attention as possible have been highly acclaimed not only by but also by butchers and renowned chefs in and outside of the prefecture, and are now being sold by a well-known organic supermarket chain.

Fujiwara feels that the appeal of pasture-raised pigs is steadily spreading throughout Japan, albeit gradually. Although the land is not wide open, he continues to pursue the possibilities of pasturage in the highlands, making the most of the advantages of being in the mountains.

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Fukudome Small Farm handles the entire process from raising rare breeds of pigs, which are said to be the only ones available in Japan, to meat processing by craftsmen trained in Germany
, to sales
, and finally to the dinner table.

The family-run ranch pursues “happiness” that can only be created by a small family-run ranch.

Saddleback” and “Happiness Pork”, fantastic pigs

Kanoya City, located in the center of the Oosumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, is surrounded by the Takakuma Mountains in the north and Kinko Bay in the west. In this area, where agriculture and livestock farming thrive , taking advantage of the mild climate (an average annual temperature of 17°C) and abundant nature,Fukudome Small Farm, run by a family, is located.

Many people may associate Kagoshima with Kurobuta (black pig), but in fact, there is more to it than that. Fukudome Little Farm raises a rare breed of pig called “Saddleback. The Saddleback is a breed that originated in England and is characterized by its high fat content. In Europe, it is known as the ” phantom pig, ” and this is the only place in Japan that raises it. While ordinary pigs are shipped after about six months, Fukudome Small Farm’s Saddlebacks are raised slowly over a longer period of time (eight months). This is said to bring out the original charm of this breed. They are also raised in a clean environment with special feed and fresh groundwater. This slow and careful process produces a tender fatty meat that melts at the temperature of human skin and a delicious flavor. They also raise a breed called “Kofuku Pork,” which is a cross between a saddleback and a white pig. The Kofuku Pork has the same high quality fat and tender lean meat as the Saddleback, and it is a breed that is only raised here.

Fukudome Small Farm’s Commitment

Unlike other ranches, Fukudome Small Farm handles everything from breeding to processing and sales in a single location. This is because the company’s fundamental philosophy is to “deliver pigs raised with care by ourselves to our customers” and to “take the time and effort to raise pigs in a straightforward, careful, and painstaking manner. That is why they keep the number of pigs within their reach and raise each pig with love and care.

Meisters” highlight the deliciousness of the meat.

Fukudome Farm is a full-service farm that handles everything from sales to processing, which is also an important factor in determining the deliciousness of its products. Yoichi Fukudome, who has acquired the national ” Meister” certification, went to Germany at the age of 21 and spent 10 years learning processing techniques from various parts of Europe. Meister” is a German national certification given to those who have mastered the art. Yoichi, who is in charge of processing hams and sausages, is particular about using his own blend of spices and special mixed spices according to what he is making. The process of grinding and mixing the spices one by one with a mill grinder and knowing exactly what is in the mixture helps to bring out the best flavor of the ingredients.

You can really taste the fat, but it melts quickly and is refreshing. Nakata was also impressed by the liver pate, saying, “This liver pate is also delicious. There are things that can be done only on a small ranch. The Fukudome family has no plans to expand the size of their farm. Yoichi says, “When you do everything from raising pigs to selling them, you realize how much you appreciate pigs’ lives. The pigs grazing on the pasture looked somewhat happy.

We process and manufacture our products with a priority on making the most of 100% of the ingredients, valuing traditional German techniques and the attitude of “taking responsibility for life and using up the whole pig without discarding the fat, skin, or bones. We are proud of our meat, which is carefully and simply delicious.

The post The only farm in Japan that raises pigs of a rare breed Fukudome Small Farm/Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Why ”Miyaji Buta” is so delicious.

”Miyaji Buta” is pork without the smell, meat you can eat in large quantity. It is fatty meat that is so creamy, and the taste so delicate that you do not grow tired of eating it. Nakata inquired about the pig’s breed and found that it is a standard mix breed called ”sangen-kohaishu”. This is the most typical breed consumed in Japan.
Miyaji Buta is certainly delicious. The reason behind it is ”bloodline, feed, and rearing”. Great care is taken in rearing. Yusuke Miyaji, the head of the company told us, ”We take special care not to add any stress to the pigs.”

Siblings together in unity

When animals live in herds, a hierarchy is usually formed according to power. In other words, they fight one other to determine who is the strongest. Pigs are no exception. If you put too many pigs in a sty, a hierarchy will form. You usually need to change the sty four times when raising pigs which means that they are exposed stress four times.
In order to delete the stress, Miyaji raises only piglets from the same litter in a single sty. Pigs usually give birth to a litter of about ten piglets. Miyaji only puts those ten piglets in a sty. It is very inefficient.
”We are raising ten piglets in a sty with enough room for twenty. It is very uneconomical, but I feel sorry for the them. Giving them unnecessary stress would of course, affect their taste. The pigs grow in a space within a sweep of an eye, stress-free. This reflects on the taste of their meat.

Creating a place for farmers to shine

Apart from being a farmer, Miyaji is also the head of an NPO ”Noka-no-kosegare Network.” This organization is literally a nationwide group of the children of farmers, which aims to create a cooperative network of farmers. In light of the decrease in the number of successors, the NPO provides support to new farmers. ”We, the younger generation, want to vitalize agriculture,” in Miyaji’s words.
”So by finding people to join, you’re making a network of people to share the joy and challenges of farming?” asked Nakata. Miyaji replied, ”Yes, that is one of the main goals. Another objective is to make a network with different types of industries. If it is just farmers in the organization, there would be a lot of complaining just like office workers. But if we have people from different industries in the group, we may talk about proactive things like new products. I hope to be able to set the scene for this kind of development.”
Miyaji said that the type of crops or the methods to vitalize the community differ from region to region. There are no fixed formulas for agriculture or livestock. He wants to offer opportunities to synergize knowledge and passion gathered from all over the country, and by offering a platform to discuss various themes, he aspires to support the farmers.

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Pigs drinking wine? Never seen anything like it.

The owner of the farm, Masaichi　Misoka took us to the pigsty.
”Oh my goodness, they are really drinking!” What surprised Nakata was that the pigs were drinking wine. And they were drinking straight out of magnum bottles.

Misoka raises ”Wain Ton”, pigs that are fed on wine. The meat has no unpleasant smell and has a rich flavor.

Misoka is now a veteran pig farmer, but he originally started raising pigs to make manure for tomato farming. Gradually, he became interested in raising pigs for meat, studied about various breeds, and increased the number of pigs. Now he is well known as the only pig farmer to raise ”Wain Ton”.

It came down to a very light white wine. The unpleasant smell just disappeared.

”What kind of wine do you give them?” asked Nakata. ”Have a taste,” replied Misoka, handing Nakata a bottle and a glass.

A small bottle of white wine.
”See? It’s very light, isn’t it? At the beginning I thought I must feed them with good wine to make the meat good. But it was no good. Good wine has strong aroma, which remained in the meat. ” He tried this and that with no avail.

”In the end, I tried this light wine, thinking I’ll quit if it doesn’t work. ”
However, it did work, and the unpleasant smell was totally gone.

Now Wain Ton is very popular nationwide, and many orders are coming from restaurants.
Nakata and his staff were given grilled Wine Ton for taste, and everyone found it yummy, and the plate became empty immediately.

The post Pigs that drink wine from a magnum “Koshu Wine Ton” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Traipsing around the world to produce the best pork

”See that pig over there with a thick tail? Pigs with thick tails have large edible parts, like the loin.”
”When you gather pigs of different varieties, sometimes pigs with a different smell get bullied.”
The world famous breeder, Yasuo Kuwahara said, looking at the pigs as if they were his children.

Kuwahara is interested in the delicious flavor of a rare breed, Middle White pigs (Y).
As Kuwahara says ”the Middle White pork is the most delicious meat in the world”, it is the highest quality pork in every part from the meat to fat.
However, the production and economic efficiency is low compared to other varieties, so breeding of Middle White pigs has plummeted worldwide. In 1996, there were only 7 of this breed in Japan.

Orders from top restaurants

Kuwahara wanted to create ”pork which best suits the taste buds of Japanese people” from Middle White pork. He put aside the issues of inefficiency such as high effort and cost, and created hybrid breeds LYB (Landrace x Middle White x Berkshire) and LY (Landrace x Middle White) based on Middle White pork.

The meat is so soft that even the toughest area, the thigh, can be served as steak. Once you take a bite, the flavor and the aroma of the pork spreads in your mouth.
Fine restaurants across the country are fascinated by its taste, so the orders come in non-stop.
Even though he is the only breeder in Japan who raises all six great original pork, Kuwahara continues to travel all around the world to find better tasting pork.

The post Raising the mystical pig “middle white pork” “Yasushi Kuwahara” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Enjoying ”Fukuton” at Tonton-Hiroba

Although not many people know about the pork brand called ”Fukuton” from Hayashi Farm, which is located near Mt. Akagi, it is gaining popularity for its great taste. The fat contained in this pork seems to melt in your mouth, leaving a clean after taste.

The fram opened a restaurant called ”Tonton Hiroba” to try to spread the word about this delicious pork. When Nakata and the staff visited the restaurant, they were served fried pork cutlet, shabu-shabu, and many other pork dishes. Nakata started with the fried cutlet. He said it was very delicious and invited his staff to try some as well as he moved on to the next dish.

Besides these dishes, processed foods such as sausages and hams are available. Their prosciutto received the Monde Selection gold-prize, and their hams and sausages have been awarded many prizes in meat contests around the world, including a contest in Germany. These awards certainly endorse the good taste of the pork.

Learning and experiencing about food

The restaurant not only cares about the quality of their pork. They also care about the vegetables they serve. They either grow the vegetables themselves, or purchase them from contracted farmers. Their policy is to serve food that is safe and healthy, so they disclose the origin of their ingredients.

At ”Tonton Hiroba,” they have experiential programs where participants can experience harvesting crops, learn about foods, or see and touch small pigs. They want visitors to not only enjoy eating, but also enjoy the total experience. These activities will be certainly effective in expanding brand awareness for ”Fukuton”.

The post Gold prize winning sausages, even in Germany “Hayashi Farm, Fukuton-no-sato, Tonton Hiroba” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Thriving livestock industry

We visited Nashiki Farm which is one of the farms producing ”Yamato Pork.” This pork is the main product for Frieden, a company specializing in livestock and processed foods.
The characteristic of ”Yamato Pork” is the extra-fine texture of the meat and the sweet-tasting fat. The brand has received many awards for the excellent taste.

Many privately-owned farms are intentionally operated on a small scale so that they can put that much more time and effort into the work.
On the other hand, Frieden operates multiple large farms, so Nakata was interested in how large farms were able to raise delicious pork.

Healthy pigs provide delicious pork

”The key to raising healthy pigs is to provide a good environment. If the pigs become sick, they won’t eat very much, and this affects their growth. After all, delicious pork comes from healthy pigs.”, we were told.
At Nashiki Farm, they thoroughly monitor the pigs. Not only do they closely monitor the health of each pig, they even change the makeup of the feed depending on its gender, their weight, etc.
In order to strengthen the internal organs, the pigs are given activated water from the time they are born. A good digestive system will allow the pigs to grow and stay healthy.

Now, time for tasting!
The sausage looks very plump and juicy.
All the pork at Nashiki Farm is processed into foods such as ham, sausages and bacon. The taste is backed by the numerous gold awards in prestigious food contests such as Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (DLG) and International Food Exhibition in Europe.
The company’s commitment to the details, and the care given to raising ”Yamato Pork”, produces delicious products, and is recognized both domestically and internationally.

The post Fine-textured processed meat “Yamato pork” “Frieden Co., Ltd., Nashiki Farm” first appeared on NIHONMONO.