A journey to discover the local treasures - A story of brand beef and regional revitalization

I love traveling, driving, and eating. I also love visiting roadside stations, farmers markets, and local supermarkets that I come across while driving. I sometimes even go out just for that purpose. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way, right?

The other day, I happened upon a farmers market along the road while avoiding traffic jams. I bought some beef there, attracted by its reasonable price and beautiful color, but was surprised by how delicious it was. Wanting to know the secret to its deliciousness, I visited the producer. This time, I will introduce the story of a couple who are filled with love for their cows and their community.

An encounter with delicious beef

It's frustrating that the aroma can't be conveyed through the photo, but a sweet, mellow aroma fills the kitchen.

The vibrant color of the meat conveys its freshness at a glance, so I wanted to try it simply, with minimal cooking, and seasoned it with only salt and black pepper. I don't usually do fancy presentations, but I decided to make it into a single plate and photograph it.

This is meat that gets the cook in the mood.

Wanting to eat quickly, I stopped taking photos short and stuffed my mouth full of still hot meat, to my surprise!

"Wow! This meat is so delicious!"

The first thing I noticed was the rich aroma that filled my nose. The meat was meltingly tender, with a rich sweetness that seems to be characteristic of Wagyu beef, but it quickly faded away and wasn't cloying. It was only seasoned with salt and pepper, but it was more than enough. It was so good that it was hard to eat rice. I was so engrossed that I ate one slice after another, and although I thought it might be too much for one person, I ended up finishing it all. I picked up the wrapper that I had once thrown away, and it simply said "sliced ​​beef." The sweetness of the marbled fat and the umami of the lean meat. This meat was so well balanced, what kind of beef was it?!

Head to Japan Bazaar where we bought meat!

We headed to a shop called "Japan Bazaar" in the Sakamoto area of ​​Shimada City, a 15-minute drive from the Tokoji Interchange on National Route 1 Bypass. The area is also less than 15 minutes by car from Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport.

Here we met with Masako Sugimura, a beef producer.

The store is lined with rows of produce and processed goods from local farmers and other shops, but as customers continue to arrive, the vegetables on the shelves quickly dwindle. However, producers also come in one after another, displaying their vegetables and fruits. The prepared food corner, lined with freshly fried croquettes and roast pork made in the kitchen at the back, also seems popular. These, too, are added to customers' shopping carts as soon as they are put on display! As if they had been waiting impatiently, many customers grabbed the products, and before you know it, they were all sold out. I visited just before noon. Apparently, the store is particularly busy from 11 a.m. until around noon.

The meat section, which is what you're looking for, also has a wide selection. Most farmers markets focus on vegetables and fruits, but one of Japan Bazaar's defining features is its wide selection of meat.

This is because the shop was started by the couple who run Sugimura Farm, which raises cattle.

Currently, someone else is serving as the representative, but the organization began in 2003. Nowadays, there are farmers markets run by JA all over Shizuoka Prefecture, but Masako Sugimura says, "It was even earlier than that."

"My husband got hot and bothered."

Huh? What do you mean, "I got hot"?

"When the new road (that runs in front of Japan Bazaar) was completed, this area was flat and you could see Mount Fuji. But with the mountain behind it, the area doesn't get much sunlight and isn't suitable for farming. So, at first, we set up an unmanned compost sales area."

At the time, the compost sold well, helped by the boom in home gardening.

I want to sell vegetables here.

"I can see Mt. Fuji, so if they sell bento boxes, I'd love to eat here."

Customers started to say things like this, so they decided to try setting up tents and selling them, and they were very well received.

"My husband got excited about it (laughs). He wanted many people to taste our delicious beef! That was also his wish. My husband is really quick to act once he has an idea. He built the building and launched the restaurant in just one year."

I see, "I got hot" means that I felt passionate. Of course, it wasn't just her husband who got hot. There was also Masako and her husband, Akihiko's, feelings for the community.

Giving back to the community

"We farmers often work alone, so it can be lonely."

said Masako.

"But, once a week I go to the auction held at the Fukuroi Market (Fukuroi Permanent Livestock Market). When I go to the auction I get to meet a lot of different producers and also get to interact with people from the prefecture and the Economic Federation who give me guidance on a daily basis. Sometimes a gap forms between us producers and consumers due to differences in our way of thinking.

But if we had a place like this, we could talk to customers and gauge their needs through those interactions. Customers would tell us "It was delicious," sometimes scold us, encourage each other, and complain or listen. I thought that if we could create a place like that, we could make friends and find our work more rewarding.

I personally heard the voices and needs of customers directly at the auction, and sometimes received criticism and encouragement, which made me realize that information and learning could be found in places like this. It's not the same every time; it was like this week, but different last week, and we'll see what happens next week. There's no set page. But there's information, learning, and energy to be had there. I wanted local producers to experience that, too."

Masako herself is not from a farming family, but the Sugimura family originally grew tea and rice and has been the headman and village headman for generations.

"So I always feel like I want to give back to the community."

Masako continues.

"Every week, on my way from Shimada to Fukuroi to auction cattle, I would always think there were all kinds of great agricultural products. I called out to people saying, 'For a registration fee of 1,000 yen, you can become a semi-permanent member, so please come and sell your products,' and at first, about 80 people joined, and the business got started."

For Masako and her family, auctions were their starting point. They named the store "Bazaar" (market) so as not to forget the original idea that came from frequenting cattle markets. They also had aspirations of visiting bazaars overseas, such as those in Istanbul.

The bazaar was started with the desire to become a lively place where people could gather, a distribution center, and now the number of members who deliver agricultural products and processed goods has grown to about 250.

"I guess adding the word Japan was a bit bold (laughs)."

Masako laughs.

No, no, Mr. and Mrs. Sugimura's desire to "have local business owners employ local people, create new industries in the region, and revitalize the region" is something that I believe will support the foundation of not only the local economy, but also the Japanese economy. Creating a sense of fulfillment will also lead to an attachment to the land, and foster a sense of pride in one's hometown.

Ideal circular agriculture and raising cattle

"My husband has wanted to raise cattle since he was a child. They would eat their own rice, feed the cows with straw (roughage) and concentrated feed (grain-based feed), and raise cattle that would produce delicious meat. They would ferment the waste, turn it into compost, and return it to the fields, where they could use it to grow good tea, rice, and vegetables, and protect the mountains and forests. He wanted to practice a recycling-oriented agriculture where none of these elements are necessary. That would also be kind to the earth. When I heard that, I thought, 'Oh, that sounds like a good idea.'"

Akihiko and Masako met as leaders of Boy Scout activities.

After graduating from university, Akihiko studied at the Tea Industry Research Institute for a year, then took over the family business in 1979 and fulfilled his long-cherished dream of raising cattle. Even before the term SDGs was even invented, he had already started environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture.
They started out by raising six brown cattle (Japanese Red Cattle), and shipped out their first shipment at the age of 24. They married Masako in 1982. By that time, the number of cattle had increased to 120, and now they raise around 200 beef cattle of various ages. Leaving Japan Bazaar behind, we headed to Sugimura Farm. From here, we were shown around the farm by her husband, Akihiko.

"Maybe because I was small as a child, I always admired big things, so I wanted to raise cows. When I asked around, I found out that dairy farming is hard work, having to milk the cows in the morning. But if I raised beef cattle, I would be free during the day, so I could grow rice, tea, or work in the fields, so I chose to raise beef cattle."

Akihiko told us this, but even during the interview he was constantly running around taking care of the cows.

Being able to be free during the day is unbelievable! As a living being, I have to be on edge 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I only get two days off a year, in summer and winter, to take an overnight trip to a hot spring. It's a physically demanding job, so my shoulders and back are a wreck. Going out to relax is my only day off, so it's a really tough job.

When fattening cattle, straw is a necessity as feed. Straw is only available in rice-growing areas. Nowadays, distribution channels have improved and straw can be obtained from anywhere, but straw from distant areas is more expensive, so Akihiko wants to use locally produced straw as much as possible. When Akihiko was in his late 30s, he traveled around a wide area, including Oigawa, Yaizu, and Kakegawa, in search of straw for his cattle to eat.

Apparently, owners of poor rice fields were sometimes paid with compost instead of money.

"In a rice field in the Ozu area (Fujieda City), I heard that they were only able to harvest six bales of rice per tan (approximately 3 hectares), so I suggested they try adding our compost, and the next year the harvest increased to eight bales. In the third year, it was at the "sedori" stage (meaning that they were able to harvest ten bales per tan). If the harvest had increased any further, the rice would have been too heavy and would have toppled over, resulting in a loss of flavor, so from that year onwards, the transaction was made in exchange for money.

These experiences and the give-and-take relationships we had formed served as a form of sales activity, and we became a trusted resource for the local community."

As Masako shared these stories, we could sense her pride in being able to practice recycling-based agriculture and her respect for her husband.

Cattle breeding and local agriculture are closely linked. The improvement and regeneration of the soil, the resulting improvement in the quality of the rice, and the expansion of connections with people all seem to be part of the "circulation" that Akihiko envisioned.

It's a very rational, circular agriculture, but I also felt that the couple's personalities, which place great importance on communicating their feelings and encouraging each other to improve, played a big role in it.

Shizuoka Beef Aoi for Gourmets

The cattle currently being raised at Sugimura Farm are a brand of beef called "Aoi, Shizuoka Beef for Gourmets."

At first glance, they look like pure black Wagyu cattle, but on closer inspection, some of them have white spots on their foreheads and bellies. This is because they are showing their mother's markings. "Gourmet Shizuoka Beef Aoi" is a crossbreed bull with a Wagyu cattle father and a dairy breed (Holstein) mother.

Since they are bulls, some of them are naturally aggressive, but they are raised from about two months of age, and by castrating them or removing their horns depending on their age (although the breed itself has also been improved), they become more docile and are able to concentrate on eating their food.

Dehorning is not only dangerous when caring for the animals, but also because when four or five cows are kept in the same room, they can get into a frolic and push each other around. If this happens, they can bleed internally and become unusable as meat. Because beef cattle are economic animals, it is important to raise them without any defects.

The calves are shipped when they are around 24 to 25 months old. They come to the farm when they are two months old, so they are looked after and cared for every day for 22 to 23 months.

The characteristics of crossbreed meat are the fine texture of Japanese Black beef, the unique sweetness of marbled Wagyu beef, and the light fat of dairy cows. It has the "best of both worlds" - a good balance of fat and lean meat, and the appeal lies in the natural umami of the meat without being heavy. This is exactly the meat I encountered at Japan Bazaar! The sweetness of the fat and the umami of the meat are strong, but not at all heavy, making it the kind of meat you could eat forever.

Only carcasses from certified farms that raise their cattle in accordance with the JA Shizuoka Economic Federation's "Raising Manual" can be called "Gourmet Shizuoka Beef Aoi." The manual requires thorough management, including feeding designated feed in amounts determined by the cattle's age in months. The original "Aoi Beef" feed contains tea powder and feed rice, and is used to improve the quality and deliciousness of the meat.

"When the Economic Federation approached me about launching a new meat brand, I was impressed with the concept of providing safe and secure Shizuoka beef at an affordable price, and decided to participate in order to help develop the Shizuoka Beef brand. We grow rice and tea, so even when we were using our own homemade feed, we would sometimes mix rice bran or tea leaves into the feed. It made a huge difference in how the cattle ate the feed."

said Masako.

"Currently, there are seven or eight certified farms in Shizuoka Prefecture, including ours. Even if they receive the same manual, the climate and water vary depending on the region where they are raised. The size of the rooms they are raised in also varies from farm to farm, and each cow has its own personality. There are rules regarding feed, but we have our own way of doing things, and we make our own changes within the set limits. We improve the quality of the meat by feeding the cows grain feed as well as grass, but the mixture varies from producer to producer, and that's where each cow's individuality comes out."

Akihiko spoke with a happy look on his face.

Even though the animals are supposed to be fed specified feed and raised according to a management manual, each producer uses their ingenuity within that framework to aim for the best quality meat.

Akihiko is most particular about the quality of the meat. To improve it, he changes the feed mixture depending on the season and the individual animal. The quality of the fat, how the marbling is formed, and the marbling pattern are all important, so he changes the feed daily, observing the appetite and condition of each individual animal.

"Every day seems the same, but the weather and temperature are different, and the cows may leave some food uneaten or, conversely, overeat. The condition of the cows also varies from day to day. There are things I can learn from my nearly 50 years of experience, but there is still much to learn."

On this day, I saw several cows wearing something like a scarf in the barn, which was divided into several sections depending on the age of the cows.

　"The calves have caught colds. That scarf is made by cutting up my husband's sweater and making it into a snood, and it's warming the thyroid gland in their necks. When you wake up in the morning and inhale the cold air, it gets in your bronchi. Even if they're eating, you can tell they have a cold because they start coughing. If they stop eating much, that's a pretty serious condition. But we can find out before that happens. If they cough even once, we'll suspect a cold, take their rectal temperature, and if they have a fever, we'll give them medicine. It's been getting really cold lately, so a lot of calves have caught colds. Calves are particularly susceptible to changes in their environment and temperature differences, so we have to be careful with them."

I was amazed at how, with 200 animals in the herd, he kept a close eye on each one and noticed even the smallest changes.

Some producers purchase and raise cows that have grown to a certain size, but Sugimura Farm purchases two-month-old calves at the market and raises them from there. On this day, there were three calves that had just arrived a few days earlier. They had just been weaned. Akihiko continues.

　

"You know that cows have four stomachs, right? But they're not divided into four from the beginning. While they're being raised on breast milk alone, they only have one stomach.

These new calves (2-month-old) are being given pelleted food to help them get used to eating grass (and a lot of it).

The slightly bigger one next to it has been with us for about two weeks. See how it's munching away and ruminating? This is proof that its stomach is already growing. Its stomach grows very quickly, so after just a week it starts making a lot of noise, crying out for food. "I'm hungry!" "Give me food!" (laughs).

When you switch from breast milk to pellets, one stomach splits into four. I thought that was interesting, too. It's also what made me want to raise cows instead of pigs, which are monogastric animals. I thought it was amazing that meat can be made by eating grass, and milk can be made by eating grass."

"This calf still weighs around 100kg, but the most important thing is for it to reach 200kg. This is the time when its four stomach pouches are growing. Therefore, during this time, I would like it to eat grass rather than concentrated feed. Rubbing the stomach wall with grass or straw will help develop a strong stomach. Concentrated feed is important, but the quality of these calves will be determined by how much good grass we can feed them."

As the couple talks about their cows, you can sense their passion and love for their cattle.

I was amazed at the ingenuity and effort required to change the feed depending on the age and body size of the cows, but I was embarrassed to learn for the first time that cows are not born with four stomachs.

Calves are particularly susceptible to changes in their environment, so the room where the calves are kept is located right in front of the dining kitchen in the main house. This was designed so that even when the couple is away from the barn, they can be aware of any abnormalities with the calves. Not just calves, but all cows are susceptible to temperature changes.

"When the weather forecast says, 'Be careful of the temperature difference tomorrow,' I think about the cows before myself."

Both the husband and wife said.

On this day, there were three cows scheduled for shipment the next day.

Compared to the calves we had seen earlier, these calves have grown surprisingly large, and are expected to weigh around one ton in about two years. It was impressive to see Akihiko gently stroking the heads and bodies of these large calves over and over again.

"The more you touch a cow, the calmer it becomes. Before shipping, we do as much as possible to calm it down and reduce stress. It looks like it's comfortable when its owner pets it."

　

Stress can affect the quality of the meat. It can also cause the meat to turn black and produce ammonia. Before shipping, if a cow seems to be acting differently than usual, it can be stressful for the cow. Of course, even in everyday life, catching a cold or feeling unwell in the heat can also lead to stress, so the most important thing is to keep the cow calm.

That's why the extreme heat caused by recent climate change is apparently quite unbearable for the cows. There are large fans on the ceiling of the cowshed, and although they are using them to cope, they said, "I'm worried about how much higher the temperature will rise in the future." Global warming is also having a major impact on producers.

"There's a saying that cows drink a lot of water, and that's why our water bill is the highest in the area (laughs). They drink a lot, especially in the hot summer. But when they drink, the floor gets dirty, so cleaning is a lot of work. Cows like to be clean, so even a dirty bedding can be stressful for them."

What we eat builds our bodies, so feed is very important, but by keeping a close eye on every detail, sparing no effort, and treating the cows with love, they are able to grow up healthy and big.

"Itadakimasu" is a word of gratitude to life and those who nurture it.

On the way back, we decided to stop by Japan Bazaar again and buy some beef to take home.

The processed food section also has dry sausages made with beef from Sugimura Farm, which are apparently one of their most popular items. There's also a recipe for rice cooked with this dry sausage. The recipe was created by Masako, who is a good cook and loves to eat delicious food. No matter how tired she is when she gets home, she always cooks.

"Cooking seems to reset my day. It's not just about eating, but cooking is fulfilling, and sometimes I get ideas for work while I'm cooking."

The Sugimura family is also a tea farmer, so during tea season they make tempura from the new tea sprouts. One day, they had an idea to place the sprouts in a steamer, arrange beef on top of them, and then add more sprouts and steam them again.

It's called "Gourmet Shizuoka Beef Steamed with Aoi New Tea."

"The aroma of new tea leaves as they are steamed is so soothing. The color of the new tea leaves fades after they are steamed, but they are still soft, so I eat them with meat and ponzu sauce. When I posted about this on Facebook, sales of new tea leaves skyrocketed."

Masako's ideas are endless, including mille-feuille cutlets made by layering slices of beef, and meaty hamburger steaks made by slicing and then cutting them into small pieces and rolling them into balls. The recipe for rice cooked with dry sausage is also included, and is very popular with customers.

When I asked the cashier for a recommendation, he said that oden made with beef tendon and shank meat would be delicious in the coming season, as they produce a great broth. He also said that he would definitely recommend stews.

"The sukiyaki-style stew and beef bowl made with leftover meat are also delicious," he said.

Since I ended up grilling it the first time, I bought some leftover meat and shank meat to make sukiyaki and stew or soup this time.

I recently visited the farm and had the opportunity to see the cows in action. Some people may read this article with mixed feelings. However, after seeing how the Sugimuras shower their cows with love and care, I believe it's important to keep in mind the importance of receiving life and to enjoy eating it.

　The phrase "Itadakimasu" expresses gratitude for receiving life. It is also a word of gratitude to the producers who nurture that life. This time reminded me of that once again.

The place we introduced this time is not just any ordinary farmers market, but a place like a "treasure chest" filled with the charm of the region, nurtured by a deep love for the hometown and cows. So, why not give it a go?

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Japan Bazaar

427-0111
4245-3 Sakamoto, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture
TEL: 0547-38-5505 /

Opening hours: 9 hours to 17 hours 30 minutes
No regular holiday

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Sugimura Ranch

427-0111
4206 Sakamoto, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture
TEL: 0547-38-0205 / 090-5867-8039 (Masako's mobile phone)

FAX: 0547-38-5691

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Finally, let us introduce you to a must-see spot in Shimada City, about a 10-minute drive from Japan Bazaar.

Horai Bridge, which spans the Oi River, is a wooden bridge with a total length of 897.4 meters and a width of 2.4 meters. On December 30, 1997, it was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "longest wooden footbridge in the world." It is also famous as one of the few toll bridges in Japan, and is visited by many tourists from both within and outside the prefecture.

The bridge is also popular as an auspicious bridge due to the play on words that "long tree = long life bridge" and "total length 897.4 m (yakunashi = no misfortune)."

The railings are only about 50cm high, so there's a sense of freedom, but on windy days it can be quite a thrill. Walking along the bridge, the planks creaking, creaking, and sometimes rattling, can make you feel like a character in a period drama.

However, as the Oi River is said to be "impossible to cross," no matter how far I walked, I couldn't seem to reach the other side. When I found a bridge board with the words "right in the middle" written on it, I exclaimed, "There it is!", but then I started to feel a bit discouraged, wondering if I should turn back now or if I was only halfway there (lol).

However, there is a walking path on the opposite bank, and there are also points of interest such as the Bell of Longevity and statues of the Seven Lucky Gods, so if you have time, be sure to cross the river.

Although it is now a tourist attraction, Horai Bridge was originally built in 1879 for agricultural purposes.

Even today, farmers use it as a farm road to manage the tea plantations on the opposite bank.

The Makinohara Plateau on the opposite bank (right bank of the Oi River) is one of the nation's leading tea plantations. The shogunate officials who guarded the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, cultivated the land and began growing tea. Before the bridge was built, people had to cross the Oi River in a small boat, which was apparently dangerous.

After the ports were opened at the end of the Edo period, tea became an important export item along with raw silk, and production flourished in various regions. Among these, the Makinohara Plateau was Japan's most representative tea-producing region and supported Japan's export industry.

The name of the bridge, "Horai" (meaning "mountain of treasure"), may have been a reference to the Makinohara Plateau.

The Sugimura couple we introduced here raises "Aoi, Shizuoka Beef for Gourmets." "Aoi" is the family crest of the Tokugawa clan, and we believe it also embodies the hope that the beef will become a "treasure" of Shizuoka. We intended to introduce it as a famous tourist spot, but Horai Bridge is also a place that gives us a sense of its connection to "Aoi, Shizuoka Beef for Gourmets."

Horai Bridge has watched over the progress of modern Japan and continues to support people traveling across it for agricultural work. Be sure to cross it while thinking about this treasure of Shizuoka, nurtured by its history and local area.

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Horaibashi

427-0017
Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, South 2-chome

TEL: 090-7866-1056
Opening hours: Bridge open all day
Admission fee: Adults (junior high school students and above) 100 yen
Children (elementary school students): 10 yen
Preschoolers: Free
*Free admission for those with a disability certificate

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Date of coverage: July 2025, 11

Writer: Gohantsubu Labo Aoki Rika
Photo: Yoshihiko Konan