Iki Beef” is also known as a rare and rare beef because of its taste and rarity. Born in the blessed natural environment of Iki Island, a small island in the Sea of Genkai, and raised on grass rich in minerals from the sea, the beef is tender, rich, and crisp. The tour will unravel the history of Wagyu beef in Iki, which has a history dating back to the Yayoi period, and visit Umeshima Farm, a fattening farm that raises high-quality Iki beef.

What is Iki Island, which raises fantastic and famous beef?

Iki Island is a small island in the Genkai Sea in Kyushu, 17 km from north to south and 14 km from east to west. The island’s mild climate and rich natural environment have allowed an agricultural culture to flourish since ancient times, and its proximity to the Chinese mainland and the Korean peninsula has made it a prosperous center for cultural exchange. The island has been closely associated with the gods since ancient times, as evidenced by its appearance in Japan’s oldest historical book, Kojiki, as “Amenohitotsubashira,” which serves as a transportation route between heaven and earth.

The roots of Wagyu come from Nagasaki! 　History of Iki Island and Wagyu

The history of cattle breeding on Iki Island is long. Iki, which was a base for continental exchange, gathered various cultures via the Korean Peninsula, and it is thought that the ancestors of Iki beef also came to the island at that time. The bones of domestic cattle have been excavated from the “Hara no Tsuji Ruins,” which tells the history of Iki in the Yayoi period, and furthermore, in the illustrated “Surugi Eshi” of the Kamakura period about domestic cattle, they appear as “Surugi” pulling an ox cart. In the “Ten Illustrations of National Cattle,” also from the Kamakura period, it is praised as “nothing is superior to Tsukushi cattle (Iki cattle),” and there is a description that it was used as food by the Yuan army during the time of the Yuan invasion.

From Service Cattle to Food Cattle

Iki’s Wagyu cattle were mainly used as service cattle for transportation, taking advantage of their well-proportioned physique. The reason why the breed has been handed down from the Yayoi period to the present through the mechanization of agriculture is because of the quality of its meat. Iki is an island where rice cultivation has long flourished. The island is small enough to drive around in less than two hours, and has the second largest “Fukae Tabaru Plain” in Nagasaki Prefecture, where rice cultivation has thrived since ancient times, taking advantage of the fertile soil, mild climate, and abundant water. It is said that “Iki cattle” began when they were used as oxen to pull ox carts for agricultural work, etc. The bones of domestic cattle have been excavated from ruins from the Yayoi period on the island, suggesting that cattle meat was already being consumed at that time. It is said that the reason why cattle continued to remain on Iki Island even after agricultural machinery evolved and cattle power was no longer needed was because the meat quality of cattle, which lived on grass containing many minerals unique to an island surrounded by the sea, was excellent as food cattle.

What is Iki beef?

Currently, about 13,000 head of cattle are raised in Iki, including bred cattle of all types, but only 900 head of Iki beef can be shipped out each year. The reason for the small number of cattle shipped is that there are strict regulations for raising Iki beef. There are four regulations. It must be black Japanese beef born and raised on Iki Island. It must be raised by a member of the Iki City Agricultural Cooperative Association’s fattening section. The cattle must be fed our original formula feed “Ichishikoku”. The meat quality grade must be 3rd grade or higher. If these conditions are not met, the beef is not recognized as Iki beef. The fat of Iki beef has a low melting point and is rich and sharp, while the lean meat is rich in flavor and tender. Its deliciousness and rarity increase the value of Iki beef.

In fact, it is a hidden production area of calves for fattening famous brand beef.

The quality of calves born in Iki is highly evaluated by fattening farmers throughout Japan, and it is not unusual for fattening farmers of famous brand cattle such as Tajima beef and Matsuzaka beef, for example, to come to Iki to purchase calves. In other words, there are not a few cases where calves born in Iki are raised outside the island and shipped as local brand beef. Not only calves, but also bulls born on Iki are highly evaluated nationwide. In the Wagyu world, in fact, elite cattle born in Iki are active.

Until “Iki beef” is shipped

What kind of process does the rare Iki beef go through before being shipped? The rough flow is as follows. First, the Iki beef calves born by artificial insemination are kept and managed as “fattening cows” at the breeding farmer. The calves are raised for 8 to 10 months at the farmer’s farm, and then go to the livestock market. Here, the calves are taken over by the fattening farmers and carefully cared for for about 20 months. Iki beef calves are raised to be well-fed and then shipped to the meat market, where they spend their time in peace and quiet without ever leaving the island.

To Umeshima Chikusan, a fattening farmer in Iki Island

It was late April when I visited a seaside cattle barn near Kintohira Shrine on the east side of Iki Island. In the clean barn of “Umeshima Livestock Breeding,” which smelled of rice straw, the wind from the sea was blowing comfortably, and the beautiful black Iki cows were spending their time peacefully.

Umeshima Chikusan, which handles everything from fattening to restaurant management and meat sales, is run by second-generation brothers Hideaki and Kazuyuki Umeshima. About 20 years ago, they started producing “Iki Beef” as a brand name beef. My father, who was originally a breeding farmer, switched to being a fattening farmer around that time, and that is where we are today,” says Kazuyuki, the younger brother in charge of the fattening operation. Currently, 150-200 head of cattle live in the sanitary barn.

Healthy fattening environment

Kazuyuki gently watches over the cows as they leisurely eat their feed in the well-maintained barn. The rich environment of the island is nurturing the cows born and raised on Iki in good health. What the cattle are eating now is a feed called “Ichishikoku,” a special formula feed for Iki cattle that was produced at the JA Kitakyushu Kumiai Feed Fukuoka Plant about 15 years ago by members of the Iki City Agricultural Cooperative Association’s Fattening Division, who were aiming for better meat quality.

In addition to preparing the breeding environment, Kazuyuki also pays close attention to the physical condition of the cattle. He says that the second to third months after the cows are brought into the barn as calves is a particularly important period. During this period, it is essential to build up the stomachs of the calves so that they are able to eat grass-based meals, which will promote their subsequent fattening. If calves have strong stomachs when they are calves, they will be able to take in compound feed when they are in the prime of their lives and grow up to be large and healthy. Even with all the love and care that goes into raising cattle in this way, there are still some cows that die from disease. They need to be especially careful about sudden onset of illnesses.

As a fattening farmer, the most important thing is to observe the cows carefully. Cows cannot talk, but they tell us many things with their attitude. They may be sitting in an unusual place, or their heads may be slightly down… We must not miss such small signs.

The work of a fattening farmer is 365 days a year, with not a single day off. Physical strength, experience, and knowledge are essential, as well as love and passion. I love cows. It is that love that keeps me going,” smiles Kazuyuki. The Iki beef from Umeshima Livestock Breeding, for which he spends a great deal of time, effort, and love, has won many awards, including the Gold Prize at the 40th Kyushu Beef Beef Carcass Show, the Grand Prize at the 2010 Opening Memorial Meat Fair (beef carcass), and the Gold Prize at the 7th Iki City Wagyu Beef Breeding Show (beef cattle category).

To “Ajidokoro Umeshima,” a restaurant directly managed by Umeshima Chikusan

A 10-minute drive from the cattle barn. Ajijidokoro Umeshima” is directly managed by “Umeshima Livestock Breeding,” located right in front of Ashibe Port. The restaurant is popular among locals and tourists alike for its reasonably-priced dishes such as filet steak, special roast, and grilled beef, all of which are made from high-quality Iki beef, which is tender and bright red with cream-colored tannins. The restaurant also has a direct sales shop, from which Iki beef can be shipped nationwide.

The restaurant is run by Hideaki Umeshima, the older of the Umeshima brothers. Hideaki, who aspires to be a chef, founded the restaurant to fulfill his father’s wish to “provide our customers with beef that we have raised with great care with our own hands. About 30 years ago, my father, who had just started out as a fattening farmer, participated in a cattle show for the first time and the results were not good. However, my father used the results as a springboard to say, ‘From now on, I’m going to raise high-quality cattle in Iki! He was inspired. Now, every time I hear a customer say how delicious our beef is, I remember how hopeful and strong my father was at that time,” he says. Thanks to my father and his predecessors, Iki beef is here, the culture of Iki, and our lives. I have nothing but gratitude. I am confident and proud that my younger brother is currently raising better Iki beef.

The Future of Umeshima Farm

People and cattle have lived together on Iki Island since ancient times. The high-quality compost produced from Iki cattle is used for rice cultivation, and the straw from this is used to feed the cattle, once again raising healthy Iki cattle. In this way, cyclical agriculture has been practiced on the island since ancient times. Today, asparagus, one of the island’s main crops, is grown using compost from Iki cattle, and is highly regarded throughout the country. In other words, sustainable agriculture has been practiced on Iki Island for a long time, and is now evolving even further. My wish is that Iki beef will continue to be appreciated as delicious 100 years from now, and even after that. I would be happy if young people from inside and outside of the island who have hope will want to raise cattle on Iki, an island of primary industry,” says Hideaki. From his words, we could sense his generous personality and deep love for the island, born from its history as a center of cultural exchange and its blessed natural environment.

The post Umeshima Livestock Breeding,” which carefully carries on the tradition of “Iki beef,” a famous beef born and raised in Iki/Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Where is the production area of delicious asparagus? Iki City” may not be the first place many people would answer. In fact, however, there is an asparagus farm in Iki, a remote island in Nagasaki Prefecture, that is chosen by many food professionals, including famous restaurants nationwide. We visited Mr. Tamihito Konoi of Konomi Farm and asked him about the characteristics of Iki asparagus and the reasons for its delicious taste.

Iki Island, a production center of delicious asparagus

Nagasaki Prefecture has 971 islands, the largest number in Japan. Located in the northern part of the prefecture, about halfway between Kyushu and Tsushima, is the island of Iki, which appears in Japan’s oldest historical book, Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters). The island has deep ties to mythology and is known as “the island where the gods dwell” with more than 150 shrines scattered throughout the island, making it a popular power spot with its pristine nature. Fishing and rice cultivation have thrived on the island since ancient times, thanks to its mild climate, rich sea, and fertile land, but the agricultural product that has been attracting attention in recent years is undoubtedly asparagus.

Why is Iki’s asparagus so delicious?

At the peak of the asparagus harvest, edible stalks sprout one after another around a single plant, growing 10 to 15 cm in 24 hours. To support their vigorous life force, they require large amounts of fertilizer and water, which is why they are also known as the “pigs of the field. In other words, “land with strength” is essential for high-quality asparagus, and Iki Island, with its fertile soil and abundant groundwater, is perfectly suited for growing asparagus. In recent years, various efforts have been made on the island as a whole to make asparagus a core crop, and its reputation is increasing.

The “Iki City Asparagus Project” undertaken by the entire island

One thing that is indispensable when talking about the soil of Iki is the existence of “Iki beef,” which is also known as “fantastic Wagyu beef. Iki Island, which is also famous as a production center of high-grade Wagyu calves, has many breeding and fattening farmers. The compost obtained from these farms is fully decomposed and fermented to make ” fully matured compost,” which is blended with basalt soil most suitable for vegetable cultivation, resulting in the growth of high-quality asparagus. The fact that all of the 70 or so asparagus farmers in Iki City have been certified as “Eco Farmers,” producers who practice environmentally friendly agriculture, and that they have adopted smart agriculture such as an automatic irrigation system using loT sensors are also major reasons for their brand strength. These steady efforts, accumulation of data and know-how, and incorporation of new technology have further improved the quality and reputation of Iki-produced asparagus, which also won the Japan Agricultural Grand Prize in 2011.

Konomi Farm, a healthy environmentally friendly farm

I visited Konomi Farm at the end of April. In a plastic greenhouse the size of about 12 tennis courts located along Route 382 in the center of the island, asparagus trees about 2 meters tall were neatly lined up, with small, pretty yellow flowers blooming. Mr. Tamihito Konomi, the second generation asparagus grower, welcomed us, pointing to the stalks peeking out from the sides of the plants and saying, “It is spring asparagus that we are harvesting now. His bright red work clothes, which he says he started wearing to accentuate the vivid green of the asparagus, and his smile are dazzling.

History of Konomi Farm

The Xuhui family, which used to be rice farmers, started asparagus cultivation in 1997, when Tamihito’s father, Seihito, took over the farm. Asparagus can be harvested with a pair of scissors without the need for large machinery such as rice transplanters or combine harvesters, and furthermore, it provides a daily income during the season. On the other hand, rice farmers harvest once a year. In light of the bitter experience of being hit by typhoons and other wind and flood damage many times in the past, which resulted in reduced harvests and poor quality, the farmers decided that it would be risky to make a living only from rice. The momentum of a government project that had just started at the time, to make asparagus the core crop of Iki Island, also encouraged him to steer his business as an asparagus farmer while growing rice. Later, he and his fellow farmers in Iki were certified as the nation’s first eco-farmers for asparagus, and he has devoted himself to environmentally friendly agriculture. Now, Mr. Tamihito is the second generation to take over the farm.

What is important is soil and water. And human eyes and hands.

During the harvesting season from March to October, asparagus shoots sprout and grow incessantly, and the asparagus farmer kneels down and carefully cuts them one by one with scissors. Harvesting is all done by hand, and it’s physical work that takes a toll on the body because there are no breaks during the seven-month period. I am overwhelmed by the vitality of the asparagus, which grows from short in the morning until it is ready to be harvested by noon. If weeds grow, he pulls them out by hand, and for pest control, he sets up pheromone traps that do not use chemicals. He also makes it a daily routine to walk around the farm to check the growth of the plants and the condition of the soil. If the surface of the soil is dry to the touch, he covers it with matured compost made from Iki beef. If there is not enough water, even just a little, the plants lose their vigor. At our farm, we give them plenty of groundwater that tastes good even for human consumption,” smiles Mr. Xu Hi. The expression on his face conveys the care he takes for his asparagus.

Winter maintenance is also an important job. Asparagus stops growing when the temperature drops and goes into a dormant state. In spring, when the temperature rises above 20 degrees Celsius, the asparagus wakes up from its sleep and begins to grow young stalks. When the harvest season is over and the green leaves die, the trees are cut down from the base, the farm is disinfected, and compost is added, allowing the nourished plants to rest until the next spring. Asparagus is a vegetable that cannot be harvested for three years after planting, but continues to sprout vigorously for the next 10 to 20 years. Management during the dormant period has a great impact on the quality of subsequent years.

Steady Expansion of Sales Channels

Currently, asparagus produced at Konomi Farm is used at many famous hotels and restaurants in central Tokyo and elsewhere. What Mr. Xu did to expand sales channels is quite simple. I started by visiting restaurants and chefs directly with my own feet and having them actually try the asparagus,” he said. He once traveled all the way from Iki Island to a market in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, where chefs go to buy asparagus to sell to a two-star Michelin restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, that wanted to use Konomi Farm’s asparagus. The taste, endorsed by top food professionals, was introduced from chef to chef, and now the asparagus is well-known among those in the know. His steady efforts have borne fruit.

Delicious raw asparagus

The asparagus produced at Konomi Farm has a refreshing sweetness and is juicy to the bite. When eaten raw, the supple skin pops open and the crispy texture is accompanied by a gentle sweetness and aroma. When cooked, the taste becomes richer and the aroma more pronounced.

The season is twice a year, in spring and summer.

The spring shoots that sprout first are called “spring asparagus” and the summer shoots that emerge after the plants have rested are called “summer asparagus. While there is no major difference in taste or appearance, “I would venture to say that spring asparagus, which grows with nutrients stored during the winter, has a strong sweet aroma like young corn, while summer asparagus, which emerges in late May to early June, is bright pastel green and has a more tender texture,” says Xu Hi. When we harvest them every day, we can clearly see the moment when they change from spring buds to summer buds. It’s just a small difference,” he says. The fact that he is able to feel the minute changes on his skin is due to the fact that he has been working with his eyes and hands for seven months without a break.

Popular asparagus dishes at the Xuhui family’s table

The asparagus farmer’s recommended recipe is a bold yet simple “lightly grilled asparagus. Place the whole asparagus on a preheated grill over high heat for 3 minutes, and grill until the surface is charred. Sprinkle with salt to taste and you are done. The umami flavor is concentrated, and the fragrance of the surface fills the mouth.

Mr. Xuhi has some advice for those who are looking to purchase. Freshness is essential for “sprouted” vegetables such as asparagus. Check the cut end first, and choose one that is round and clear. Good shaped leaves (triangular leaves attached to the stem) are a sign that they have grown well. After purchasing, be sure to store them upright. If you store them lying down, they will become stringy and lose their flavor. If you wrap them in newspaper, secure them with rubber bands, and store them in the refrigerator, you can enjoy them for up to a week. Use this as a reference when shopping at the supermarket.

To produce more delicious asparagus

Mr. Xu is pursuing “a gentle flavor with no bitterness. He mixes enzymes with fully ripe compost to achieve a more supple texture, and repeats trial and error every day. He is constantly experimenting with new methods, such as mixing ripe compost with enzymes to achieve a more supple texture. I want to reduce the area of my land so that I can do even more work. I want to watch the growth with my own eyes and produce even higher quality asparagus. At the same time, he aims to expand sales channels to the Asian market, taking advantage of Iki Island’s image and geographical advantage. In this day and age, fish from Kyushu landed in the morning is served at restaurants in Hong Kong and Shanghai by noon. Asparagus, which requires freshness, can be shipped through the same route. From Iki, the island where the gods dwell, to the mainland and the world. Mr. Xuhi’s challenge continues.

The post Delicious raw asparagus grown healthily by the water, wind, soil, and sun of Iki Island, Nagasaki Prefecture / Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.