Tajima Gyu / Tajima Beef

　Tajima Beef is the beef produced from high grade Tajima cattle raised in Hyogo Prefecture, over the age of at least 28 months, and an average of about 32 months.

　Tajima cattle from which the beef is sourced have thin and elastic skin, soft downy hair, and tight muscles as a result of repeated improvements. Also, aside from the good taste of the meat, there are many edible parts due to the thin bones and less subcutaneous fat, and it can be said that the cattle is blessed with the highest qualities for consumption.

　Tajima cattle have been raised as livestock for about 1,200 years in the mountains of the Tajima region in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture, in a privileged natural environment where there is clear air, pure streams and abundant mountain grass. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), its gene became recognized for high-quality pedigree cattle, and for a long time thereafter, they were bred as cattle with good quality meat.

　The pedigree is docile, and because of their fine physique and gentle disposition, they were gradually raised not only in the Tajima district but also all over Hyogo Prefecture.

　Looking back over the history, in the "Shoku Nihongi", the official history of the Nara Period that was completed in 797, it is written that "Tajima cattle are most suitable not only for agricultural purposes but also for ox carts." Also, Tajima is mentioned with a picture in the book "Kokugyuujyuzu" (10 Japanese cow paintings) which is said to have been drawn in 1310. It had a small, tight body and was heavily used to move around in small rice paddy fields for farm work and load carrying. The peculiar quality of Tajima Beef is due to the soft grass growing in this region as night dew forms on the grass because of a large temperature difference between night and day, and to mineral-rich water.

　Tajima callte began to be eaten as meat following the opening of the port of Yokohama in 1859 and the port of Kobe in 1868. It is said that foreigners who came to Japan at that time ate Tajima Beef and were captivated by its taste. Since then, "beef hotpot shops" opened in cities, "sukiyaki" came to the table at home, and Tajima Beef became synonymous with feasting.