Choshu Kurokashiwa (Jidori Chicken) (Yamaguchi): season, origin and where to buy

Seasonal calendar

As a meat product, it is available year-round.

Timing shifts with the weather and conditions in each region.

Official registration details (MAFF)

The registered description as published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Characteristics

The first original "jidori" (homebred chicken) in Yamaguchi Prefecture is soft and has a moderate texture, and is rich in the umami ingredient inosinic acid and the fatigue recovery ingredient imidazole dipeptide. The meat has not only penetrated as a tourist attraction in Nagato City, "the town of yakitori", but it is also widely appreciated for its good taste by distributors, restaurants, and hotels in and outside the prefecture as an original homebred chicken from Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Link with the production area

In the suburbs of Nagato City, fishing has flourished since ancient times. Because fish lee and other expensive feed have been available at reasonable prices, the poultry industry has thrived. Chicken meat is anchored not only for food at restaurants but also for home cooking and is rooted in the food culture of the region. To connect local industries and food to regional development, the government of Yamaguchi Prefecture developed CHOSYU KUROKASHIWA by using "Kurokashiwa", which is a natural monument of the region and has good taste, after an attempt that continued for 13 years. The use of locally sourced feed, cooperation between producers and the government on feeding management, and efforts to increase consumption in and outside the prefecture have resulted in the establishment of the chicken as a Yamaguchi Prefecture brand.

Characteristics and link with the area: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website (https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/intel/gi_act/register/250715_17.html)

Where to buy

As a rule, only products that meet the registered standard may use a GI name (with exceptions such as prior use). Check for the GI mark and the place of origin to tell it apart from ordinary products with similar names.

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These links go to Japanese-language shops; check whether they ship overseas.

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FAQ

Yamaguchi Prefecture's first jidori (heritage chicken), developed by the prefecture over 13 years from the Kurokashiwa, a breed designated as a local natural monument. The meat is tender yet pleasantly firm and rich in the umami compound inosinic acid, and it is a signature food of Nagato, known as a yakitori town.

Choshu Kurokashiwa (Jidori Chicken) is produced in Nagato City and Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Choshu Kurokashiwa (Jidori Chicken) is shipped all year round. As a meat product, it is available year-round.

Look for it via furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) and online shops. Check the GI mark and the place of origin before you buy.

Choshu Kurokashiwa (Jidori Chicken) was registered as a Geographical Indication on March 27, 2024 (Registration No. 152). The registered producer group is Fukawa Youkei Agricultural Cooperative.