Category Archives: Food & Agriculture

AOMORI, No. 15 — JA Tsugaru Hirosaki, an agricultural cooperative in Aomori Prefecture, will sell apples in a gift box with globally popular virtual singer Hatsune Miku printed on it. It is the first time for a farm coop in Japan to collaborate with Hatsune Miku, and JA Tsugaru Hirosaki hopes the move will help boost consumption of apples among younger generations. The gift box comes with a photograph-like illustration of Hatsune Miku holding an apple and smiling against a backdrop of an apple orchard and Mount Iwaki, a mountain located in Aomori Prefecture. The farm coop’s online shopping website started accepting pre-orders on Nov. 15 for the gift box … Continue reading →

KUMAMOTO, Nov. 7 – Kumamoto Chikusan Ryutsu Center Co., Ltd. has set up a “JA Niku Gacha” vending machine at the you+you Kumamoto Agricultural and Livestock Market run by a local agricultural cooperative in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, JA Kumamoto Economic Federation. It offers the thrill of randomly winning a super-premium prize to stimulate meat consumption, which has recently been hovering at low levels. The machine sells beef and pork only from Kumamoto Prefecture for prices varying from 1,000 to 2,000 yen. You’ll have a chance to win a premium prize with an “Atari (Bingo)” sticker worth double the cost you paid for, such as Kumamoto Kuroge Wagyu “Wao” premium … Continue reading →

NAGANO, Oct. 24 — Greenland Shinshu, a manufacturer of feed and organic fertilizers based in the town of Minowa, Nagano Prefecture, offers Japanese hot pot dishes such as sukiyaki and shabu-shabu using F1 beef — wagyu beef crossed with another breed — and dairy beef at its restaurant in the town. The restaurant, which opened in May, has been posting strong sales, as the Momiji brand beef produced by a local dairy farm from cattle raised with locally-made feed is proving popular because it is more affordable compared with Japanese Black wagyu beef. The restaurant, named Kuroge-gyu Restaurant Aisu Kobo, is located on the first floor of a complex facility, … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Oct. 11 – On October 10, 2024, Gurunavi Inc. chose “Nouvelle Sukiyaki” as this year’s trend-setting nabe hot pot dish. Nouvelle sukiyaki is still traditional but has unique ingredients and sauces that meet the needs of diversified consumers and may boost Wagyu consumption. It is the 16th time for the giant restaurant search engine site operator to name the nabe of the year based on the data on trends in the restaurant industry over the recent year. Sukiyaki will become a popular choice while imported ingredients are becoming more expensive, and the yen’s depreciation is boosting the demand for costly ingredients made in Japan. There is an expected demand from inbound … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Oct. 8 — JA ZEN-NOH Meat Foods Co., a meat seller of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives group, and Japan Airlines (JAL) began on Oct. 7 selling wagyu beef and taking care of quarantine procedures for people flying abroad. The service will allow people traveling to the United States and Singapore using JAL flights departing Haneda and Narita airports to purchase wagyu beef products sold by JA ZEN-NOH Meat Foods and have them clear quarantine procedures for export by JAL. By making it easier and more convenient for travelers to buy wagyu beef to take out of Japan, the companies hope to boost overseas wagyu consumption and increase awareness of … Continue reading →