Sendai beef (仙台牛)

Sendai beef, one of Japan’s finest wagyu brands, is a hidden gem from Miyagi Prefecture known for its exceptional quality and flavor. Raised with care in Miyagi’s pristine environment and nourished on a special diet, this premium beef offers a melt-in-your-mouth experience that sets it apart. Discover what makes Sendai beef so unique and why it’s a must-try for food lovers worldwide.

What is Sendai beef?

Sendai beef (仙台牛) is a premium brand of wagyu beef produced in the Sendai region of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Characterized by its smooth, tender texture, mellow flavor, and rich juices. Its high-quality flavor, born from the perfect balance of fat and lean meat, nurtured by the nature of its hometown, Miyagi. The beef owes its exceptional flavor to Miyagi’s natural bounty. Raised on a rich diet of rice straw, including varieties like Sasanishiki and Hitomebore grown with the region’s pure water, the beef embodies the essence of Miyagi’s fertile environment. Carefully nurtured over three years, the cattle are born and raised in Miyagi’s pristine air, ensuring consistent quality and achieving the highest grade of A5 or B5.

Sendai Beef Grading

Sendai beef is only rated as “A5” or “B5” by the Japan Meat Grading Association. This public corporation ranks the beef based on the nationwide standard known as the “Carcass Trading Standard.” The “Carcass Trading Standard” is an objective assessment of the quality and evaluation of beef at the time of trading. It is an important standard for fair trading prices and stable price formation.

Miyagi Prefecture

Miyagi, the kingdom of livestock Although it is not well known, Miyagi Prefecture has a flourishing livestock industry. In particular, the prefecture ranks among the top in the nation for the number of households and cattle kept for beef cattle. Additionally, while the national average number of cattle per farm is 61.9, in Miyagi Prefecture the figure is less than half at 28.4, with many farms being small scale. Cattle tend to be raised with great care and time, one by one.

Sendai Beef History

The history of Sendai beef dates back to 1974. With the introduction of an exceptional breeding bull, Shige Shigenami, from Hyogo Prefecture to enhance meat quality. This bull produced over 40,000 calves, achieving an impressive high-quality carcass rate (grades 4 and 5) of 70%. Hence, it significantly boosts the quality of wagyu beef in Miyagi Prefecture and establishing the foundation for Sendai wagyu. Later, the super breeding bull Shigehiro set a remarkable record with an 87% high-quality carcass rate, and his lineage continues to thrive today.

Sendai Beef Restaurants

Sukiyaki Kappo Kato (すき焼割烹 かとう)

Kato is a sukiyaki restaurant founded around 1955 and is a 5-minute walk from Yonbancho Station. During lunchtime, you can enjoy A5 and B5 rank Sendai beef for prices between 1,000 and 3,000 yen. Next to the restaurant is Kato Butcher Shop, in business since before the war. This is also a directly managed store of that shop. When purchasing beef, they purchase an entire Sendai gyu cow, and the most mature. They served the delicious part of the day on the restaurant’s menu.

Address: Uesugi Park Mansion 1F, 1-14-20 Uesugi, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 022-225-4129
Hours open: 11:00 – 14:30 (LO Food 13:45) 17:00 – 21:30 (LO Food 20:40 Drink 21:00)
Website: https://sendaigyu.com/