(Last updated: February 15, 2024)

Akaushi beef represents the pinnacle of Aso’s culinary offerings.

Hey there, fellow beef enthusiasts! Morinaga here, with a hearty “moo” from our bovine buddies. Got a minute to talk about Aso’s famed Akaushi beef? Ever had the pleasure of tasting it?

My affection for Akaushi runs so deep, I’ve found myself at livestock auctions just to get closer to the source.

These days, Akaushi is the star of the show, fetching prices that would make your wallet weep. It’s wild—what used to cost around 400,000 yen a couple of years back now easily surpasses the 1,000,000 yen mark. Mind-blowing, right?

What is Akaushi?
Akaushi, or Brown Japanese cattle, falls into two main strains: those from Kumamoto and those from Kochi, both believed to descend from the Hanwoo, a breed of small cattle native to the Korean penninsula. The “Kumamoto Akaushi” we enjoy today is the result of careful breeding between local strains from the Aso, Yabe, and Kuma regions and the Simmental breed, and was officially recognized as a type of Wagyu in 1944. Akaushi cattle excel in cold and heat resistance, making them well-suited for open grazing. Their docile nature simplifies farming practices. The meat is predominantly lean with just the right amount of fat, offering a flavor that’s both delicious and tender, striking a balance between taste and health.

Reference: Akaushi Channel (http://www.akaushi.jp/info/what.html)

Akaushi beef from Aso, raised in vast, stress-free pastures, is actually a very rare type of beef.

Akaushi beef accounts for just 0.36% of all the beef consumed in Japan—that’s just 36 out of every 10,000 cattle!

Especially in Aso, Akaushi cattle graze on 40 to 50 kilograms of grass daily and walk between 3 to 6 kilometers, maintaining about 2 hectares of grassland per cattle. This roaming and grazing contribute significantly to the sustainable management of Aso’s vast grasslands.

To continue preserving the Aso grasslands, it’s crucial to increase the number of Akaushi cattle being raised, which, in turn, requires boosting consumption of Akaushi beef.

So, for those who want to easily savor Akaushi, and in what I personally consider the best way to enjoy it, I’ll introduce you to some places where you can enjoy Akaushi beef bowls based on my personal preferences.

If you’re planning a trip to the Aso region, trying an Akaushi beef bowl is definitely something you should do! If you’re heading to Aso, consider this as your culinary guide.

1. The Original Must-Try! Imakin Shokudo’s Akaushi Beef Bowl (1,840 yen)

７月31日放送 #せっかくグルメ
【あか牛丼】1,840円

『いまきん食堂』
住所: 熊本県阿蘇市内牧290#バナナマン #ギャル曽根 #鷲見玲奈 #山下健二郎 #三代目JSOULBROTHERS #熊本 #阿蘇 #いまきん食堂 #あか牛丼 #あか牛 pic.twitter.com/sB5rwZugrZ

— 🍌#⃣せっかくグルメ🍌バナナマンのせっかくグルメ！！🍌公式🍌 (@sekkaku_tbs) July 31, 2022

I’ve eaten here numerous times, but I always end up devouring my meal before I remember to snap a photo… apologies for having to resort to embedded posts from Instagram here. The salty and sweet secret sauce, homemade meat miso, and wasabi blend perfectly, creating an irresistible flavor.

While their soy sauce-based chanpon is also popular, I invariably opt for the Akaushi beef bowl 100% of the time.

Curiously, the restaurant’s surroundings feature a giant chair and a wooden cow statue that moves when you turn a lever. Inside, you’ll even find a signature from Michael Jackson written in katakana (most likely written as a joke… but still displayed pro).

マイケルジャクソンも来たいまきん食堂、赤牛丼！
うまし！！ pic.twitter.com/85MCga4o5F

— ヒロポン (@tabi_hiropon) June 22, 2015

There are plenty of charming details that make you want to snap photos. Just a heads-up: if you go around noon, you’re easily looking at a two-hour wait, so I recommend getting in line by 10 AM!

いまきん食堂並びすぎ٩(◦`^´◦)۶
何時間まちだろか😭
初めて行列にならぶ、 pic.twitter.com/68SoSfrkjI

— Tsuyoshi (@49eOXvyGYPJh7Jb) May 4, 2015

Imakin Shokudo (お食事処 いまきん食堂)
Address: 290 Uchinomaki, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県阿蘇市内牧290)
Phone: 0967-32-0031
http://aso-imakin.com/

2. Sobana’s Akaushi Beef and Kudzu Cuisine (1,500 yen)

Delight in a set meal by an award-winning female chef featuring Akaushi beef donburi and kudzu dishes. Thinly sliced Akaushi beef tenderloin envelops the rice, enhanced by a secret sauce aged for six months to highlight the beef’s flavors. Served in an elegant tiered box, the set includes side dishes of seasonal vegetables, steamed soy milk kudzu, kudzu noodles, and a daily dessert.

Each dish is crafted with care, making this set a perfect indulgence for a special lunch.

Sobana (蕎麦菜)
Address: 3220-3 Akababa, Minamioguni Town, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町赤馬場3220−3)
Phone: 0967-42-1755

3. The Perfect Garlic Miso Sauce! Warokuya’s Akaushi Bowl (1,980 yen)

Nestled in the heart of Kurokawa Onsen, this eatery boasts a traditional farmhouse ambiance. As you stroll nearby, the enticing aroma of curry whets your appetite! Their Akaushi beef bowl, limited to 10 servings per day, offers a chance to savor a cut of “rōsu” (ロース, a japanese cut of beef roughly corresponding to sirloin) with a perfect balance of lean and fat, bursting with flavor.

The sauce drizzled over the meat is an adaptation of the garlic miso sauce used at dinner in their sister establishment, Okyakuya Ryoka, customized for this Akaushi bowl. It’s served with a local vegetable salad, miso soup, and homemade pickles.

If you miss out on the daily limit of just 10 Akaushi beef bowls, don’t worry. You can still enjoy a taste of Kumamoto with their unique curry offerings: the “Classic Curry” made with slowly simmered local horse meat, the “White Curry” crafted with Oguni Jersey milk and local chicken, and the “Black Curry” which adds premium Aso Black Pork to the classic curry. The “Oguni Complete Curry Trio” lets you sample all three distinct flavors at once.

Warokuya (わろく屋)
Address: 6600-1 Kurokawa, Oaza Manganji, Minamioguni Town, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
Phone: 0967-44-0283

4. Best Value! Kiyoracasa’s Akaushi Beef Bowl (1,100 yen)

Located along National Route 212, which stretches from Aso to Hita, Oita, Kiyora Kasa is an eye-catching pyramid-shaped building. Each morning, local farmers sell fresh vegetables and specialty products at the shop.

The Akaushi beef bowl served at Kiyora Kasa is unbeatable for value at just 1,100 yen! Thinly sliced cabbage is laid over rice from Minamioguni, topped with Akaushi beef, and finished with a special sauce.

I personally recommend adding a bit of Kiyora Kasa’s original yuzu pepper (柚子胡椒, yuzu kosho, a Kyushu classic blend of chili pepper and yuzu peel) for an extra kick!

Minamioguni Town Souvenir Shop/Product Hall “Kiyoracasa” (南小国町総合物産館 きよらカァサ)
Address: 1789-1 Akababa, Minamioguni Town, Aso-gun, Kumamoto (熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町赤馬場1789-1)
Phone: 0967-42-1213

5．Sukiyaki-Style Delight! Tsujino Chaya’s Akaushi Sukiyaki Bowl for (1250 yen)

Alongside Prefectural Road 442 sits a teishoku-ya (set meal restaurant) beloved by locals for serving the simple dishes like fried chicken and ginger pork, each incredibly delicious in their own right.

But it’s their Akaushi beef bowl that will win over any sukiyaki fan’s heart!

The beef is simmered in a sukiyaki-like sweet soy sauce glaze with vegetables from the Oguni region, and generously tops the rice. I’m the type who cracks an egg over it right away. Mixing the semi-cooked egg with the meat is just irresistible!

The pickles and miso soup are also very good.

Tsuji no Chaya (辻の茶屋)
Address: 7036 Manganji, Minamioguni, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町満願寺7036)
Phone: 0967-44-0385

6. The Roast Beef Delight: Senomoto Resthouse (1800 yen)

Nestled on the Senomoto Plateau and with a clear view of Mt. Aso’s Five Peaks, the Senomoto Resthouse serves as a perfect pit stop along the Yamanami Highway, complete with a variety of souvenir shops on the ground floor.

It’s on the second floor restaurant, however, that you can indulge in their exquisite “Akaushi Roast Beef Bowl.”

Rice lightly drizzled with their signature sauce is bedded with shredded omelet and shiso leaves, topped with Akaushi beef that’s been seasoned with five spices and cooked to perfection.

The topping of kaiware radish sprouts and Daikon radish from Oguni adds a perfect touch. The chef’s original sauce, a secret blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame is a recipe developed over 38 years, and accompanies the bowl along with salad, pickles, and miso soup.

Senomoto Resthouse (瀬の本レストハウス)
Address: (熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町満願寺5621ｰ7)
Phone: 0967-44-0011

7. A Soba Shop’s Weekend-Only Special! Akaushi Beef Bowl and Soba Set with Secret Sauce (1,300 yen)

Nestled in Minamioguni Town, known for its delicious spring water and thus a popular spot for soba shops, lies a cozy restaurant at the very end of the Soba Kaido (蕎麦街道, Soba Highway) , surrounded by lush greenery.

This dish features Akaushi beef bara (short plate) slowly cooked in a sweet soba sauce based on local Shichifuku soy sauce, served over rice. While it looks like your typical beef bowl, it’s so delicious you might find yourself practically drinking it down!

Shichifuku Soy Sauce, used in the dish, is nearly a century-old soy sauce manufacturer in Oguni Town. Their sweet, dark soy sauce perfectly complements dishes like basashi (horse meat sashimi).

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Of course, the soba here is delicious too.

Kagoan (花郷庵)
Address: 2862-3 Akababa, Minamioguni Town, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
Phone: 0967-42-0193

8. A Culinary Master’s Two-Way Akaushi Beef Bowl (1300 yen)

The owner, who also runs a meat wholesale business, is quite the remarkable figure. He’s one of the few in Japan to hold the prestigious title of “Food Master,” recommended by the U.S. Department of State, showcasing his culinary expertise. One of his creations includes an original sauce made from simmered Minamioguni Town blueberries, which is simply delicious.

You can choose between two types of Akaushi beef bowls: one with plenty of thinly sliced green onions and homemade spicy mustard mayonnaise called “Aso no Akaushi Kawari Yakiniku-don” (阿蘇のあか牛変わり焼肉丼) and another with tororo (grated mountain yam) rice and Akaushi beef, “Aso no Akaushi Tororo-don” (阿蘇のあか牛とろろ丼). Both are mouthwatering, but personally, the Yakuniku version wins my heart every time!

Torioh (鳥王)
Address: 熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町赤馬場１５６１−１
Photo: 0967-42-1787

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Each restaurant essentially offers “Akaushi Beef with Rice,” but they all put their unique spin on the dish, ensuring you never tire of the flavors. I plan to continue exploring more in the Minami Aso and Aso city areas, so if you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear them!