NIKUFES 2024: Taste Wagyu and International Dishes in Odaiba from 4/26 - 5/6!

Wagyu: World-Famous Quality Beef from Japan

Wagyu is now synonymous with being a high-quality ingredient impressing foodies all around the world. We introduce the charms of wagyu, NIKUFES 2024 (Meat Festival), and what wagyu varieties you can enjoy at NIKUFES.

What is Japanese Wagyu Beef?

Wagyu refers to four cattle breeds–Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled, raised domestically in Japan.

These cattle are exclusively raised as meat for consumption and derive from enhanced breeding of native cattle species in Japan. It is classified separately from dairy cattle, also known as domestic cattle, and crossbred cattle.

Wagyu beef is juicy, slightly sweet, and so tender it will melt in your mouth. It is known for having artistically gorgeous marbling.

NIKUFES 2024 World Selection TOKYO will be held from April 26 to May 6, 2024 in Odaiba, Tokyo and is where you can enjoy this very wagyu beef to the fullest. This year, the festival features a generous selection of wagyu menu items and will spotlight Saga Beef, Tottori Wagyu, and Shiho Beef.
Let’s jump into introductions on each wagyu beef’s respective production area and features!

1. NIKUFES 2024 Wagyu Spotlight: Saga Beef

Saga Beef Steak available at NIKUFES®

Saga beef is one of the highest quality ingredients among Japanese Black cattle raised in Saga Prefecture.

Saga Prefecture is blessed with rich nature and clear waters, which make it a suitable place for raising the delicate Japanese Black breed. Wagyu cattle are raised in a stress-free environment and results in lean meat with fine marbling and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Saga beef has been highly appraised both domestically and internationally since it first began being sold in 1984. It was even served at a special dinner party during the US President’s visit to Japan in 2017.

2. NIKUFES 2024 Wagyu Spotlight: Tottori Wagyu

Tottori wagyu is an elusive wagyu brand renowned in Tottori Prefecture. This title is only given to Japanese Black cattle raised in the prefecture that are Grade 3 (*) or over in meat quality grade.

Tottori wagyu is amazingly balanced with lean, rich meat and a light fat content, which make it irresistible.

Tottori wagyu is known for its high concentration of oleic acids, an unsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid is effective in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

*Meat Quality Grade: a grade given to meat quality based on marbling, luster, and color. The grading system ranges from Grade 1 to Grade 5.

3. NIKUFES 2024 Wagyu Spotlight: Shiho Beef

Shiho Beef Yakisuki Skewers available at NIKUFES®

Shiho beef is a wagyu brand by Marusho Yokose Corporation in Tochigi Prefecture. Everything, from cattle rearing to product sales, is done within the group under strict management.

It is Japanese Black beef of the highest quality that is raised with great care while being fed fresh water from the base of Mt. Tsukuba, an exclusive feed mix, and provided with healthcare from a veterinarian. The wagyu brand is known for having juicy meat and fine marbling.

Shiho is another name for Mt. Tsukuba which is considered one of Japan’s 100 most famous mountains. The brand was given this name because the cattle are mainly raised at Shihogyu Farm at the base of Mt. Tsukuba.

Enjoy International Meat Dishes in Japan!

At NIKUFES®, you can not only try these three spotlighted wagyu varieties but also try other wagyu brands along with a plethora of international meat dishes. Let’s take a look at what meat dishes will be available at the festival!

Beef Sushi (Japan)

Beef sushi is a premium dish that consists of meat placed on a ball of rice as a topping instead of fish. A rare cut called misuji (part of the chuck section) is exclusively used for sushi and is prepared by cooking the meat at a low temperature with unique technology.

At NIKUFES 2024, you can try sushi carefully crafted by slicing each piece of meat onsite at the booth with a special sauce! The beef sushi will be available at a booth run by Donabe Gohan Komesan, a famous Japanese restaurant in Nishiazabu, and is made with a particular rice brand produced in Tottori Prefecture called Hoshizoramai.

Drinkable Cheese Hamburg Steak with Demi-Glace (Germany)

Hamburg steak originated in Germany and is an incredibly popular meat dish even in Japan.

The Drinkable Cheese Hamburg Steak with Demi-Glace is a featured dish by Shoutaian, a famous yakiniku restaurant that regularly has a booth at NIKUFES®, and is an enhanced version of their famous Drinkable Hamburg Steak. It’s the ultimate hamburg steak made with Japanese Black beef that is flowing with meat juices and densely packed with delicious flavor.

This mouthwatering dish combines a hamburg steak with melt-in-your-mouth texture that smoothly goes down as if you’re “drinking” rather than “eating,” cheese, and a demi-glace sauce. You can experience a new sensation and texture with this dish.

BBQ Steak (United States)

Barbecue is a genre of cooking cultivated in the United State’s food culture made by cooking significant amounts of meat.

At NIKUFES 2024, you can try prime beef, ranked the highest in beef produced in America, with authentic barbecue sauce.

Prime beef has a unique juiciness, deep richness, and mellow fragrance that will no doubt have your mouth watering!

Churrasco (Brazil)

Churrasco is a meat dish from Brazil. Skewered chunks of meat are slowly grilled over a charcoal flame to remove excess fat and intensify the flavor of the meat.

Aitchbone (a rare cut of thigh meat), locally called picanha, is a necessary ingredient for Churrasco.

The meat is simply seasoned with rock salt after it has been beautifully grilled over a charcoal flame. A single serving is 140 grams and is served with a special sauce with a soy sauce base.

Tomato Sukiyaki (Spain)

Tomato sukiyaki is a wagyu sukiyaki (Japanese), a type of hot pot, reimagined as a Spanish-style dish.

The dish features a special soy sauce-based sukiyaki sauce used to create espuma sauce with a smooth, foam-like texture.

Its acidity becomes more apparent when combined with tomato, while the sweetness from cotton candy enhances its great flavor as it melts in your mouth. Through this unique dish, you can enjoy sukiyaki in a new and exciting way.

Samgyeopsal (South Korea)

Samgyeopsal, a pork belly cut used in yakiniku, is a standard meat dish in South Korea.

The secret behind its delicious flavor is the use of high quality pork belly that is thickly sliced, then grilled until brown and crispy on a piping hot grill.

Seasoning is kept simple with a salt pepper mixture. Samgyeopsal is cut into bite-sized pieces and eaten with kimchi cooked on the grill.

Flavorful Wagyu Mapo Tofu (China)

Mapo tofu originated in Sichuan, China and is a classic Chinese dish that is also loved in Japan!

Azabujuban Yakiniku BULLS is a yakiniku restaurant participating in NIKUFES® for the first time this year. Their mapo tofu is an absolutely exquisite dish made with lavish amounts of Japanese Black beef.

The dish has been expertly reimagined for this NIKUFES®. It will be made by Kenshiro Iwasaki, who previously worked as the restaurant’s executive chef when it initially opened.

The dish’s intense heat is created by combining select seasonings such as fermented chili bean paste and Sichuan peppers. This spiciness will enhance the delicious and sweet flavor of the wagyu.

Once a Year! Enjoy Meat and Japanese Culture at NIKUFES 2024!

NIKUFES® is an event that began in 2014. Thousands of people have whetted their appetites over the years with the variety of wagyu and international meat dishes introduced through the event.

An anime song concert and other stage events will also be held at the festival venue. Awa Odori, a dance parade through the venue accompanied by music, is the highlight of the event!

NIKUFES 2024 World Selection TOKYO is the largest food festival in Japan where attendees can try wagyu and international meat dishes while also experiencing traditional Japanese culture. The event will be held for a limited time between April 26 to May 6, so make sure to visit the festival venue in Odaiba during the event period.

If you want to take your time to enjoy NIKUFES, then the VIP area is perfect for you. It’s a special space where you can order food inside a tent and enjoy yourself without having to worry about the weather or the crowds.

It’s decided! Let’s meet in Odaiba, Tokyo in Spring 2024!

NIKFES Overview

Event Period: April 26 (Fri) - May 6 (Mon, national holiday), 2024 (11 days)

Event Hours: 10:00 - 21:00 (the first day opens at 12:00, weekdays open at 11:00)

Venue: Odaiba Special Venue at Odaiba Aomi Area P Sector (Koto, Aomi 1-1-16 Google Maps)

Access:

2 minutes on foot from the Yurikamome Tokyo International Cruise Terminal

5 minutes on foot from Daiba Station

7 minutes on foot from the Rinkai Line Tokyo Teleport Station

* Please park at a nearby paid parking lot such as the Aomi Temporary Parking Area if arriving by car.

The event coincides with Golden Week and crowds are expected. In this situation, the VIP area is an available option for you to enjoy yourself while avoiding the crowds! Make an advance reservation via the link below!

Sponsored by NIKUFES®