Kumamoto Akaushi Beef (Kumamoto): season, origin and where to buy

Seasonal calendar

Shipped throughout the year.

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

Kumamoto Akaushi is a beef of Kumamoto Brown (a breed of Japanese Brown Cattle). It is soft and carries umami taste coming from the lean meat. The meat contains high proportion of lean meat with balanced marbling. Compared to Japanese Black (known as “Kuroge Washu”), Kumamoto Akaushi has more free amino acid which causes to produce umami component, and less free fatty acid which deprives umami taste. It is also rich in glycogen which provides sweetness by aging.

Link with the production area

Kumamoto Brown was improved by crossbreeding native cattle of Kumamoto Prefecture and Swiss Simmenthal, and has become one of the breeds of Japanese Cattle called “Wagyu” in 1944. It has high proportion of lean meat due to the improvement focused on not marbling but adaptation to natural condition of the area such as pasturing mainly in grassland of the Aso region.

Characteristics and link with the area: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website (https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/intel/gi_act/register/s67.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

Beef from Kumamoto's Japanese Brown cattle, known as akaushi. It is mostly lean with moderate marbling, combining a light, clean flavor with tenderness. Compared with Japanese Black beef, it contains more of the free amino acids that give umami, and plenty of glycogen, which contributes sweetness.

Kumamoto Akaushi Beef is produced in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Kumamoto Akaushi Beef is shipped all year round. Shipped throughout the year.

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

Kumamoto Akaushi Beef was registered as a Geographical Indication on September 27, 2018 (Registration No. 67). The registered producer group is Association for Promotion of Kumamoto Beef Consumption.