

A Chat with
Yamaguchi Brothers


The Crown Jewel of Yamaguchi, Pride of city'super
city'super's exclusive Yamagata Beef is the crown jewel of Yamaguchi Livestock, a farm with a history of 39 years. Yamaguchi Livestock, a wagyu farm in Japan, well known for raising Yamagata Gyu that are rated as top grade quality of A5. Mr. Osamu Yamaguchi, director of Yamaguchi Livestock Production, the second generation of the farm, said that the ranch was founded mainly to raise dairy cattle originally but around 20 years back, it became 100% wagyu cattle rearing and has become an expert in the field since then.
According to Yamaguchi-san, Yamaguchi Livestock has three cattle feedlots in Yamagata Prefecture and one calf breeding farm in Okinawa Prefecture. In addition to ranches, it also has numerous retail stores and restaurants striving to provide the best quality of Yamagata Gyu to different tiers of customers.
city'super is the exclusive retailer of Yamaguchi Livestock in Hong Kong as city'super has curated Yamagata heifer that are maiden and aged over 30-month to Hong Kong market since 2013. Since then, Hong Kong meat-lovers began to fall in love with Yamagata heifer meat for its marbling fat, tender texture and delicate taste.
Raise Every Wagyu with Gratitude and Respect
"We run our farms with gratitude and respect. We treat each and every cattle with respect, meaning that we see each of them as an unique life which has unique need. Every cattle needs different care and we don't just raise them just by the book. The staff in charge of caring for the cattle will carefully analyze the health of each cattle, and take care of and design special diet for them so that the cattle can grow healthily and comfortably in a stress-free environment, while ensuring that each wagyu has plenty of space to move", shared Yamaguchi-san.
To ensure an excellent growing environment for the cattles, a wooden high-ceiling barn are installed with ventilators to make sure there is enough fresh air.
Mr. Yamaguchi's younger brother, Mr. Satoshi Yamaguchi, is a veterinarian who has been studying cattle cultivation and ranch management for many years. If any of the cattle fall sick, Satoshi Yamaguchi will promptly provide effective treatment. The craftsmanship that can be seen everywhere in Yamaguchi Livestock as the brothers believe that if the Yamagata cattle they raised are rated as top grade, it is the best reward to the cattle themselves.


Diet: Mixed Grain Feed & Grass
Otome Ushi beef is characterized by melting fat in the mouth and the prefect balance of fat and red meat. Mr. Yamaguchi believes that grilling and pan-frying is the best way to fully serve the marbling fat of the wagyu beef.
Shimofuri/marbling 霜降り is one of the characteristics of Otome Ushi beef. The pasture and diet is the key factor achieving the perfect balance of fat and red meat.
"If cattle only feed on grass, it will be difficult to form marbling fat, and the meat will be too tough. In order to improve the balance of meat and fat, we mix grain feed and straw. Soybean and rice diet will make the meat and fat ratio just right and taste better!" Yamaguchi-san shared the secret of raising Otome Ushi beef.
Imoni Party: Yamagata Festival
Yamagata famous local hot pot: Imoni (taro stew) 芋煮 is a popular household dish of Yamagata Prefecture. Every autumn in Yamagata, there is a large Imoni festival- Yamagata Imonikai 山形芋煮会 (Imoni Party), which is one of the annual cultural festivals in the region. The Yamagata beef is stewed in a large pot of thick broth of sweet taro roots and a variety of different vegetables. The taste of authenticity of the Yamagata beef and local vegetables is shared by locals and international tourists every year.