Its reputation has spread overseas, with export volumes increasing steadily year by year. Additionally, in 2018, it was the first Wagyu beef from a specific region to be served at the after-party for the Academy Awards, held in the United States, and has been served at every party since then. Why is Miyazaki beef so highly regarded both at home and abroad? What are the best places to eat it locally? We will introduce it along with some tourist spots in Miyazaki.
*Prices include tax.
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- Grown with the blessings of sunshine, water, and lots of love
- Chef's Table at riverside hotel "Oyodo Kahan Miyachiku"
- "Hishimeki" is an adult yakiniku restaurant with all private rooms where the freshness and cutting method are the focus.
- Visit Aoshima Shrine, where you can admire the magnificent view and mysteries all at once
Grown with the blessings of sunshine, water, and lots of love
Miyazaki Beef is defined by strict standards: the beef must be born and raised in Miyazaki, have the highest quality meat grade of A4 or A5, and be sired by a breeding bull designated by Miyazaki Prefecture or other designated breeding bull.
A 10-month-old calf. It will be raised for about a year and a half from here, and will be shipped when it grows to about 700kg.
One of the reasons for these delicious cattle is the blessed natural environment. When we spoke to Tamio Inamoto of Inamoto Livestock, a livestock farmer in Kushima City, he told us, "Miyazaki is the sunshine of Japan, with average temperatures, hours of sunshine, and the number of sunny days among the best in the country. The mellow soft water of the Kirishima mountain range allows the cattle to grow healthily, which is also why the meat is silky and fatty."
Tamio Inamoto, president of Inamoto Livestock, won sixth prize at the 12th National Wagyu Ability Competition held in 2022. He has been raising cattle here for over half a century.
Thanks to their excellent bloodlines and favorable environment, the calves are of high quality from the moment they are born, and about one-third of the calves are shipped outside the prefecture to grow into products such as Matsusaka beef in Mie and Kobe beef in Hyogo. This fact is also proof of the excellence of Miyazaki beef. Miyazaki beef must be A4 or above, and about 92% meet this standard, so there is little variation between individuals, which is also the reason for its high evaluation. On top of that, Inamoto's philosophy is to "be sympathetic to the feelings of the cows."
"In addition to cleaning, feeding and caring for them, we also make sure to check on them frequently to see if there are any changes or abnormalities. We take turns looking after them, from 3 am to 8 pm depending on the day. I think that by listening to their voices and picking out their feelings from their movements and expressions, we are able to care for them and help them grow up healthy and strong. After all, love is the most important thing," Inamoto told us with a smile.
Chef's Table at riverside Hotel "Oyodo Kahan Miyachiku"
We have picked out two restaurants where you can enjoy delicious Miyazaki beef. The first is "Oyodo Kahan Miyachiku" located inside the "Miyazaki Kanko Hotel" in Miyazaki City. It is a restaurant directly managed by "Miyachiku", which promotes branded meat both domestically and internationally, focusing on beef and pork produced in the prefecture.
"Oyodo Kahan Miyachiku" is located along the Oyodo River, one of Miyazaki Prefecture's most famous rivers, and depending on your seat, you can enjoy your meal with the open riverside view in the background.
Teppanyaki steak and yakiniku are the two main specialties of this restaurant, and I ordered the teppanyaki dish during my visit. I enjoyed the "Classic (100g lean meat)" (3,980 yen) course, which featured Miyazaki beef lean steak as the main course, at the chef's table, where you can enjoy the live cooking experience.
The lean meat for the day was the top round. Although it is a cut that is normally low in fat, the beautiful marbling is typical of Miyazaki beef.
The chef's dexterity and the way the food was presented were also brilliant, with the steak being boldly served on bread. By placing it on bread, the bread absorbs excess oil. Furthermore, at the end of the course, this bread was transformed into sugar toast in the assiette dessert (dessert platter) and served.
The steak was served in two portions. Each portion was cooked to your preference, with the first half cooked medium rare and the second half cooked rare. The difference in cooking time gave the steak a different texture, juice, aroma, and flavor, allowing you to fully enjoy the appeal of Miyazaki beef.
Miyazaki beef has an elegant aroma and a mellow flavor. When you bite into it, the rich juices overflow and the strong flavor of lean meat fills your mouth. It comes with a variety of seasonings, including a soy sauce-based steak sauce, a special sauce made with plenty of onions, and salt from Nichinan in the southern part of the prefecture, allowing you to spend a particularly luxurious time.
The assiette dessert (assorted desserts) that concludes the course. The bread that served as the base for the steak is toasted with powdered sugar.
Oyodo Kahan Miyachiku
| address | ： | Miyazaki Kanko Hotel West Wing 2nd floor, 1-1-1 Matsuyama, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0985-62-1129 |
| business hours | ： | 11:00-15:00 (last orders 14:00/steak course orders accepted until 13:30) 17:00-22:00 (last orders 21:00/steak course orders accepted until 20:30) |
| Closed Day | ： | Irregular holidays |
| web | ： | Oyodo Kahan Miyachiku Official Website |
"Hishimeki" is an adult yakiniku restaurant with all private rooms where the freshness and cutting method are the focus.
Another recommended restaurant for Miyazaki beef is "Yakiniku Hishimeki." The restaurant is located about a 10-minute walk west from Miyazaki Station, in the Nishitachi area, the prefecture's largest entertainment district. All seats are private rooms, so you can enjoy luxurious Miyazaki beef at your leisure.
To make the high-quality Miyazaki beef even more delicious, we take great care to keep the meat from coming into contact with air as much as possible. Not only is it cut to order, but it is also vacuum-packed using special machines each time.
A popular dish is the "Seared Fatty Beef Nigiri" (550 yen per piece if ordered separately). You can choose the flavor from truffle salt or soy sauce.
In addition, the meat is kept at a temperature just before freezing, and then released to the optimum temperature for five minutes before serving. The thickness of the cuts is then changed in millimeters for each part, controlling the optimum degree of melting and the ease with which the sweetness is conveyed. Here is another example from the 12-item course (6,000 yen).
The colorful assortment plate shows "Boneless Short Rib" in the front and "thinly sliced loin" in the back. The blue plate in the back of the photo shows "salted tongue with green onions" and the clear plate shows "grilled vegetables."
The "Boneless Short Rib" is so tender that you don't even need to chew it, and the sweetness of the fat spreads across your tongue, leaving you in a blissful mood. The "thinly sliced loin" is best grilled just enough to lightly sear the surface. The silky, melting texture of the thinly sliced meat and the swirl of flavor will fill your taste buds with ecstasy.
"Boneless Short Rib" - Cut to the perfect thickness, it directly conveys the gorgeous sweetness that is unique to Miyazaki beef.
Yakiniku Hishimeki
| address | ： | 3-5-24 Tachibanadori Higashi, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0985-65-3818 |
| business hours | ： | 17:00-24:00 (L.O. 23:30) |
| Closed Day | ： | Irregular holidays |
| web | ： | Yakiniku Hishimeki Official Website |
Visit Aoshima Shrine, where you can admire the magnificent view and mysteries all at once
Miyazaki Prefecture, which is rich in delicacies, is also famous as a power spot where many myths are set. If you want to enjoy the natural beauty and blessings of a tropical island all at once while making a gourmet trip your main goal, we recommend Aoshima Shrine, which is not far from Miyazaki Bougainvillea Airport.
Aoshima Shrine is located just across the bridge from the coast, and its mystical location is also a must-see. It is about 15 minutes by car from Miyazaki Airport, and about 45 minutes by train from the airport to Aoshima Station.
Aoshima is also famous for its wave-shaped rock formations known as the "Devil's Sentakuita" (Devil's Washing Board). They were formed when layers of sandstone and mudstone formed underwater in the Neogene Period (7 million years ago) rose up, and were subsequently eroded by waves.
The "Devil's Washboard" can be seen on the coastline about 8km from Aoshima to Kinchaku Island in the south.
Aoshima Shrine is said to be the setting of the myth "Umisachihiko and Yamasachihiko," and its deities are Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto, Toyotamahime-no-Mikoto, and Shiotsuchi-no-Okami. They are well-known as gods of matchmaking, safe childbirth, and safe voyages.
The main hall. Benzaiten, the goddess of wealth, is also enshrined here.
There is a lot to see within the grounds of Aoshima Shrine. On the right side of the main hall, you will see the tunnel of votive plaques on the "Ancient Prayer Path" leading to the Motomiya Shrine. Beyond that is a small approach lined with subtropical plants, mainly palm trees, and in the open space you will find the particularly mystical Motomiya Shrine.
Around Motomiya Shrine, there are many entertainment attractions, such as the "Amenohiraka Nage" where small ceramic tiles are thrown to tell fortunes, and the "Musubi Koyori" where people tie paper strings of a color that matches their wish.
The sacred tree of Aoshima Shrine, the "Meoto Biro." Depending on the season, it is densely decorated with many colorful paper strings.
A recommended photo spot is the sea, where you can take a picture with the shrine gate as the frame.
There are also plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants around Aoshima Shrine. The specialty, "Aoshima Uiro," is often sold out, so if you're interested, be sure to come early.
In addition to "Aoshima Uiro", there are also traditional shops selling seasonal fruits.
A recommended souvenir for this trip to enjoy Miyazaki beef is "Kannyuso," named after the cow. This is a natural food also known as "ancient Japanese cheese," a delicacy made by boiling milk for 7-8 hours and evaporating the water, concentrating it into one-tenth of its original size. It looks and smells like caramel, has a slightly sweet taste like a rich hard cheese, and melts smoothly in the mouth, which I think would go well with rich, mellow sake or wine.
A famous seller of "Kannyuso" is "Milk Club Nakanishi Farm," which has its main store in Miyakonojo City. It sells for 1,100 yen per box.
Aoshima Shrine
| address | ： | 2-13-1 Aoshima, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
|---|---|---|
| phone | ： | 0985-65-1262 |
| web | ： | Aoshima Shrine Official Website |
The appeal of Miyazaki Prefecture is its exquisite cuisine, including the best Miyazaki beef in Japan, as well as its many power spots and spectacular views. In addition, you will be able to encounter the warm smiles and hospitality of the people who live in the "sunny side of Japan." Come to Miyazaki on your next vacation to experience the extraordinary life that only a tropical island can provide, and feel truly refreshed.
"Japan's tastiest Miyazaki beef" promotional video
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
