Matsusaka Beef in Matsusaka City: Local Food Guide (Mie)

Raised mainly in and around Matsusaka City in Mie Prefecture, Matsusaka beef ranks among Japans finest brand wagyu, mentioned in the same breath as Kobe and Omi beef. The finely marbled meat melts the moment it touches your tongue, releasing a deep, sweet richness from its fat. For generations, local fattening farmers have tended each animal individually with great care, preserving a proud tradition.

Highlights

The city is dotted with long established sukiyaki and grilled meat restaurants, each drawing out the appeal of Matsusaka beef with its own methods. In sukiyaki, the natural sweetness of the meat harmonizes beautifully with a sweet soy based broth and the mellow richness of beaten egg. For grilled cuts, the surface is seared fragrant over charcoal to lock in the juices, best enjoyed with a pinch of salt or a house sauce. Butcher shops also sell premium cuts to take home, and some offer prepared items such as croquettes.

Enjoying the Seasons

Matsusaka beef is wonderful all year, but in the cold months a warming pot of sukiyaki or shabu shabu is especially satisfying. In warmer weather, simply grilled cuts or steak let you taste the meat directly. Each autumn a judging contest crowns a top animal, drawing keen attention.

Access and Basic Information

Matsusaka Station, served by both JR and Kintetsu lines, is the gateway to the city and is easy to reach from both the Nagoya and Osaka directions. From Nagoya, take a Kintetsu limited express or JR, and from the Osaka direction a Kintetsu limited express to Matsusaka Station. Many famous restaurants cluster near the station, making it convenient to stroll and sample on foot. By car, the Matsusaka interchange on the Ise Expressway is the nearest exit. Reserving ahead at popular spots ensures a relaxed visit.

Practical Travel Notes

• Specialty sukiyaki and steak restaurants often reach a substantial per-person price at dinner, but places open for lunch sometimes offer more affordable beef bowls or steak set meals.
• Long established sukiyaki restaurants are popular at both lunch and dinner and fill up easily on weekends and long holidays, so booking ahead is recommended.
• Besides cuts to take home, some butcher shops sell croquettes and minced cutlets made with Matsusaka beef, easy to enjoy as a walk-and-eat snack.
• Around Matsusaka Station are sights such as the merchant town streetscape and the Matsusaka Castle ruins, making it easy to combine dining with a historical stroll in a single day.

A Quick Tip

Given its quality, Matsusaka beef carries a fitting price, but some restaurants serve it more affordably at lunchtime. First timers should start with sukiyaki to experience the natural sweetness of the meat, and booking ahead at popular spots lets you dine without a wait.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Definition of Matsusaka beef: A Japanese Black heifer that has never calved, registered in the Matsusaka Beef Individual Identification Management System, and whose longest and final fattening period took place within the Matsusaka beef production area. Calves brought into the production area must be no more than 12 months old, and once introduced the cattle may only be moved within the production area. From introduction to shipment, 36 categories of data are accumulated in the system.
• Difference from \"Tokusan Matsusaka Ushi\" (premium Matsusaka beef): Tokusan Matsusaka Ushi is Matsusaka beef from calves born in Hyogo Prefecture that have been fattened within the Matsusaka beef production area for a long period of 900 days or more, and they are shipped at an average age of 42 months. Not all Matsusaka beef is Tokusan Matsusaka Ushi.
• Matsusaka beef production area: The area covered by the 22 former municipalities as of November 1, 2004. In terms of today's municipalities, this is all of Matsusaka City, Meiwa-cho, Taki-cho, Tamaki-cho, Watarai-cho and Odai-cho, plus parts of Tsu City, Ise City and Taiki-cho.
• The Kyoshinkai (livestock show): The first Matsusaka Beef Cattle Kyoshinkai was held in 1949 (Showa 24), and it is unusual nationwide in that live cattle are shown. A preliminary round is held every year in late October, and the 50 outstanding animals selected go on to the final round (the Matsusaka Beef Festival) on the last Sunday in November.
• Access: The gateway is Matsusaka Station, served by the JR Kisei Main Line and Meisho Line as well as the Kintetsu Yamada Line. From the Nagoya direction you can come by Kintetsu limited express or JR, and from the Osaka direction by Kintetsu limited express. If you are driving, the nearest exit is Matsusaka Interchange on the Ise Expressway.
• Important note: Since July 1, 2012 (Heisei 24), selling or serving beef liver for raw consumption has been prohibited under the standards of the Food Sanitation Act. Even when fresh, the inside can harbor enterohemorrhagic E. coli (such as O157), and it must be heated so that the center reaches 63°C for at least 30 minutes (or an equivalent or stronger treatment such as 75°C for at least 1 minute). When eating offal at a yakiniku restaurant, always cook it through to the center.

Note: Opening hours and prices at individual restaurants vary from establishment to establishment. Reservations are recommended at popular restaurants.

(Sources: Matsusaka City official website, \"Matsusaka, the City of Meat\" - Frequently Asked Questions about Matsusaka Beef, the Matsusaka Beef Production Area, and the Matsusaka Beef Cattle Kyoshinkai; Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, \"Please Do Not Eat Beef Liver Raw,\" and the Food Sanitation Act standards published by local governments)