Facts

The lore surrounding Kobe Beef has long been a source of fascination. Stories of massages with sake and diets based on beer have circulated for years. Some of the stories are true... some are merely legends which have taken on a life of their own.

Is it true that Kobe Beef in Japan are fed on beer and massaged to make them tender?

Well, both things take place, but not for the reasons we've been led to believe. Beer is fed to the cattle during summer months when the interaction of fat cover, temperature and humidity depresses feed intake. Beer seems to stimulate their appetite. It's merely part of the overall management program designed to keep the cattle on feed in the heat of the summer. The massaging is done to relieve stress and muscle stiffness. It's believed that the eating quality of the meat is affected positively by keeping the cattle calm and content.

Why do they brush the cattle with sake?

Brushing cattle with sake is another practice that creates great interest. Some producers in Japan believe that hair-coat and softness of skin are related to meat quality. It's believed brushing the hair-coat with sake improves the appearance and softness of the animal and is therefore of economic importance.

Does Kobe Beef have religious significance in Japan?

Japanese soldiers, involved in many armed conflicts over the years, were fed beef to strengthen them for battle. When the soldiers came home from war, they brought their appetite for beef with them. Village elders believed that consuming beef inside the house was a sacrilege, a desecration of the house, and an insult to their ancestors. Young men were forced to cook their beef outside on plow shears (this process become known as sukiyaki, which literally means plow cooking) until the Meiji Restoration finally relaxed restriction against eating beef.