Premium chefs of Kumamoto

“My roots are in Kikuchi.” The samurai Takamori Saigo, who wrote these words, used the pseudonym Gengo Kikuchi during his days in Amami. Shichijomachi Sunada, Kikuchi City, is said to be the birthplace of Saigo’s mother, and is home to a livestock farming business named “Kikuchi Utopia Farm,” whose products are processed and sold under the name “Saigo.” Hoping to “introduce people to the local region and history,” the company has named the Japanese Black cattle raised at the farm “Gengo Kikuchi beef” and begun direct sales in the spring of 2021.

Until then, Yuuki Masunaga had only been involved in production. His Japanese Black cattle were raised with love, but once the beef produced at the farm was shipped, he had no idea who would eat it or how. Of course, he and his family never got to eat it, either.

His wife Naoko was busy caring for the children and going to work and so could not spend much time at the farm. “Honestly, I couldn’t understand my husband’s passion for his work. But once our children settled down, gradually, I began to go working on the farm with him. His dedication truly amazed me, and I found a whole new respect for him. My husband is the type who keeps his head down and works in silence. But I thought, I want people to know about this! So I decided to share it myself. I chose to do that through direct sales.”

Led by Naoko, Saigo was launched in April 2021—aiming to offer meat cutting, processing, sales, and food and beverage services—and beginning direct sales.

“We’ve been doing circular organic farming since the time of my father-in-law. He was a very ambitious man and founded an agricultural corporation. He named the company ‘Kikuchi Utopia Farm,’ hoping to make it a farming paradise. He saw a future in farming for himself and his son. However, he suddenly died of pancreatic cancer when my husband was only 19 years old.” At the time, the farm produced cattle, goats, and rice; their goats were even shipped to Okinawa. Much of the goat meat consumed on the islands was from Kikuchi Utopia Farm. Under Yuuki, the farm specialized in cattle and rice, and then gradually shifted to organic farming.

Kikuchi Utopia Farm practices “circular organic farming,” from producing organic crops to feeding organic rice straw and non-standard rice to cattle and then using the cattle manure as organic fertilizer for the crops.

The farm does not raise cattle to maximize their grade, but strives to care for its animals in a healthy environment. One aspect of this is the choice of flax feed. “In a twist of fate, around the time we began direct sales, I heard about a healthy farming project from the owner of Ogata Egg Farm, which belongs to the Kyushu Bio Cluster Conference. Hence, I decided to try my hand at flax feed,” says Yuuki. In around one year, he achieved the gold-ratio balance of ideal Omega 3 and Omega 6. Flax feed is beneficial for the health of livestock and humans, as well as the planet, and is already being used in France. It results in delicious beef that is light in fat and can be eaten with peace of mind.

When the first head of cattle was delivered, the couple had a barbecue with the staff. Everyone raved about how good it was. Getting to eat something that they had raised themselves was a completely new emotion. It proved to them that all their hard work had not been for nothing.

They said to themselves: “The meat is delicious. But how are we going to sell it?” Naoko, who had no previous business experience, began her attempts on social media. The first step was sharing her story. That is when she received a direct message from Chiaki Ikeda of KIJIYA. Mr. and Mrs. Ikeda came to visit the farm; when they heard what the farmers were doing and planning, they decided to use the meat in their restaurant. “We went to eat at KIJIYA. The food was prepared with simple seasoning, and of course it was delicious. When I saw the words ‘Gengo Kikuchi beef’ on the menu, I felt a rush of emotion.” After KIJIYA, more and more restaurants became clients, first in Kumamoto, and then in Fukuoka, Nagoya, Mie, and Tokyo.

“Today, the farm ships 8–10 heads of cattle a month to JA, and 1–2 through Saigo as Gengo Kikuchi beef. My goal is to sell our beef directly to people who understand its true value as Gengo Kikuchi beef,” explains Naoko. Yuuki adds, “I genuinely love raising cattle, and I see this job as my mission. Though I can no longer look to my father for answers, I spend my days working with the cattle while trying to achieve the utopia of his dreams. Cooking and eating the livestock products we raise also means contributing to circular organic farming, which has a major positive impact on global environmental issues. We will continue to strive to bring even more people along with us in this endeavor.”

Today, Saigo conducts direct sales once a month, giving priority to reservations, and even ships outside the prefecture in cold storage. They are set to launch online sales through BASE as well. By registering to the official LINE channel, you can receive updates about opening days and other information. We will be sure to register and wait for sales to open.

Store information

Saigo
Address: 670-1 Shichijomachi Sunada, Kikuchi, Kumamoto Prefecture
Business days: Once or twice per month *Information is available through the official LINE channel
Official website: https://saigo-shop.com
Official social media: Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/naoko_masunaga/