The rarest Wagyu beef in the world

The special diet and rare natural conditions make this land “produce” rare Wagyu cows.

The quality and popularity of Wagyu beef has long been established. However, in Japan there is also a high-class Wagyu, much rarer than usual. It is Olive Wagyu – the precious specialty of Shodoshima Island. Photo: A5meats. The island is nestled in the Seto Sea, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. This place is famous olive growing area in cherry country. Shodoshima’s mediterranean climate is suitable for olives to grow. The island was also one of the first in Japan to successfully harvest olives. Photo: ToysMatrix. Like many other places throughout Japan, the people of Shodoshima have been using Wagyu beef since the 8th century for the purpose of transporting goods, growing crops, etc. Beef is also favored by the people because of its rich nutrition. Photo: Agdaily. Without Masaki Ishii, a local farmer, Wagyu cows on Shodoshima island are just like any other. He saw that the olive industry on the island was having too much waste. Tons of used olives are thrown away every year. They are a by-product of olive oil production and are rich in nutrients. In the photo, Mr. Ishii (70 years old) next to the Wagyu cow. Photo: Tokyo Life. Therefore, Ishii feeds these olives to his Wagyu cows. Of course, they don’t like the bitter taste and strange shape of this fruit. Even so, Ishii was determined to find a way to force the cows to eat olives. Finally, he found a way. Photo: Esquire. Ishii is toasted moderately, dried and pressed these olives to create natural sugars. Wagyu cows prefer this sweetness. From there, the famous beef of Shodoshima island was born. What Ishii created was not merely a new type of food. It can be seen as a revolution in the Wagyu beef industry. Photo: Sun Gate. Over the years, Wagyu cattle have enjoyed a consistent regimen throughout Japan. Caring for this type of cow is still considered a feat and expensive. The most important part of the traditional care regimen is to only feed the cows hay or rice plants through grazing. Each farm has its own recipe, only passed down through generations in the family. However, the quality of beef is not too big of a difference. Photo: Japan Times. Olives make the perfect combination with Wagyu beef. The taste of the meat has changed for an enjoyable dining experience. Biting the Olive Wagyu beef, you will feel like eating… chocolate beef. Olive Wagyu has a more beautiful, pale pink flesh. The piece of meat seems to melt in the mouth of the diners when eating. Photo: Brobile. In addition to a more immersive dining experience, Olive Wagyu beef is also rated as one of the healthiest meats. According to A5Meats, this type of meat is especially good for the heart. Photo: Uncrate. A high-quality piece of Wagyu beef costs about $400/kg. However, Olive Wagyu beef costs up to 120-300 USD / steak. According to CNBC, only about 220 Olive Wagyu cows were exported in 2018. Therefore, enjoying this type of beef is not easy at all. Photo: Reddit.