Breeds of Matsusaka
A castle town in Mie whose beef comes from heifers raised slowly by local farmers and judged at an annual autumn show.
Breeds of this place
Best time: October to November, the season of the cattle show.
Matsusaka is an old merchant town in Mie Prefecture, near the Ise Grand Shrine. Its name is attached to one of Japan's best known beef, from Japanese Black heifers bought as calves, often from Hyōgo and other regions, and raised on farms in the Matsusaka area for many months. The town's merchants once traded cloth and rice; its cattle now carry its name.
How the cattle are raised
Matsusaka farmers raise only female cattle that have not calved, and keep them longer than most beef cattle in Japan. They are fed rice straw, grain and other feeds and kept in small barns. Stories that farmers massage their cattle or give them beer are often told; some farmers have done so, but it is not the usual practice. The animals are registered and traced from birth.
The cattle show
Each autumn a show of Matsusaka cattle brings the best-raised heifers to be judged, and the winning animal draws great attention. The town also keeps its merchant houses and the stone walls of Matsusaka Castle, built in the late sixteenth century.
A trail idea for Matsusaka
- Matsusaka Castle ruins Stone walls on a hill above the old town.
- Merchant houses Old houses of the Matsusaka merchants who traded in Edo.
- Ise Grand Shrine The great Shinto shrine a short train ride away.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Matsusaka beef" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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