KOBE BEEF
The term “Kobe Beef” is one of the most famous almost mythical terms in the world of food. It’s also one of the most misunderstood and misused. Kobe beef comes from a PURE lineage of Tajuma-gyu cattle that has been born in the Hyogo prefecture in Japan and has been certified by the Kobe Beef Distribution & Promotion Council. Also, for it to be called ‘Kobe’, it still has to go through a strict government grading exam via the Japan Meat Grading Association wherein once assed, it will carry a 10-digit identification number.
Although cattle were raised in Japan for thousands of years, they were draught animals for a long time. Vegetarianism wasn’t put on official pause until until the Meiji era, which began in 1868, when Japan opened up to the rest of the world and foreigners passing through the biggest cities demanded meat. Their own eating habits notwithstanding, Japanese producers began raising animals – meat animals – to meet the need of foreign diners. Vegetarianism was ended and producers raised beef animals for the Japanese market, as well.
Here’s where the Kobe part comes in… Yokohama was one of those emerging centers of trade between Japan and the rest of the world during the Meiji era, and it was full of foreigners who wanted to eat beef. Cattle and horses were both popular work animals in Japan, but cattle were raised in the southern parts of Japan and horses were used up north near Yokohama.
Thus, when foreigners working in Japan asked for beef, cattle needed to sourced from the south and shipped north from Kobe. When these foreigners tried this Japanese Kuroge Washu beef from the south and noticed the natural marbling and delicious umami taste, they were impressed. Since the beef was being shipped via the port of Kobe, that name become associated with this unique beef, even though the beef in fact came from all over the south of Japan, and just made a final pitstop in Kobe.
Then for a while, Japanese Wagyu and live animals were imported to the United States from Japan until both were banned from being exported. In 2012 small quantities of beef from Japan resumed export, after the U.S. lifted its own ban on imports.
Kobe Beef is very expensive, it’s not common food to eat everyday here in Philippines. It is rare
