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Cattle Breeders and Breed Pioneers

Nakanishi Yoshinori and the Slow Craft of Tajima Cattle

A Hyogo cattleman who limits his herd so every animal gets individual attention.

Who is Nakanishi Yoshinori?

Nakanishi Yoshinori raises Tajima cattle at Nakanishi Farm in a remote ravine west of Kobe City. He entered the family cattle business after high school and had worked in it for close to 40 years when a 2010 Japan Times feature described him as a 56-year-old Kobe cattle farmer. That puts his birth around 1954. He now shares the running of the farm with his son, who has taken over ownership.

His story is a useful look at how a producer in Hyogo Prefecture thinks about quality: not through scale, but through attention to each animal.

How does Nakanishi raise his cattle?

The Kobe Beef farmer profile lists several practices. He adjusts the feed blend according to each cow's condition. Cowsheds are well ventilated and use the surrounding mountain terrain. Water comes from springs drawn from aquifers 180 meters underground.

Group size changes as the cattle age. Young animals share an enclosure with eight cows, then four, then two, and finally one before going to market. He separates cows that fight or do not get along and raises some alone so he can watch how each eats and what its physique looks like. He says he cannot add animals without losing this individual care, so he keeps the numbers where they are.

Why did he research pasture grass?

About 30 years before the profile, Nakanishi began looking into the safety of pasture grass. He traveled overseas in search of pastures grown with few agricultural chemicals and found grass varieties grown at a contract farm in the United States, which he now uses in his feed program.

This is a notable detail for a small farm. Feed is the biggest input in a fattening program, and he chose to source and test it himself rather than rely only on standard rations. He also told the Japan Times that he and other beef farmers he knows would never give cows beer, a popular myth about Kobe beef. He credits the beef's quality to caring for sensitive animals and feeding a balanced mix of grains and grass, with nature doing the rest.

The Key to Nakanishi's Success

Nakanishi's profile points to a producer who competes on consistency. He says he aims for every animal to have the same taste before it goes to market, and he believes purebred seedstock alone is not enough: the farmer's skill matters just as much.

His own figures, which should be read as reported by him, are striking. He says about 60 percent of his cattle reach the top A5 grade, against roughly 10 percent for Tajima cattle on average.

  • He keeps the herd small so each animal receives individual attention.
  • He steps down enclosure sizes from eight to four, two and one as cattle mature.
  • He researched pasture grass safety and sourced low-agrichemical varieties from a U.S. contract farm.
  • He uses spring water from deep aquifers and well-ventilated sheds.
  • He tailors each cow's feed blend to its condition.

The 2009 Distinction Award

Nakanishi received the Distinction Award at the 2009 Kyorei Kai Kobe Meat Cattle Show. The profile says he produces about 15 champion cattle a year and describes himself as a leading producer of consistent-quality livestock in Hyogo Prefecture over the previous ten years. Those are his own claims, but the show award is an independent result.

For comparison, the profile of Miyata Yasuhito describes a 2018 winner of the same award at a farm run by a much younger cattleman. Together the two profiles show the show has recognized both long-established and newer Hyogo producers.

Handing the farm to the next generation

Ownership has passed to Nakanishi's son, and the father continues to share the work. The profile does not give a total herd size, only the output of champion cattle and the principle that numbers stay limited by the care each animal needs.

For more on cattle breeding across the world, see farm.FM's ranching coverage, or read a farm.FM story about Wagyu beef. His feed, water and housing choices are the kind of daily decisions that shape the beef reaching the market.

Timeline

  1. c.1954Born, later joins the family cattle business after high school
  2. c.1970sBegins farming Tajima cattle at the family farm west of Kobe
  3. c.1980Starts researching pasture grass safety and travels overseas for low-agrichemical pastures
  4. 2009Wins the Distinction Award at the Kyorei Kai Kobe Meat Cattle Show
  5. 2010Profiled by the Japan Times at age 56 after nearly 40 years in cattle
  6. LaterHands ownership of Nakanishi Farm to his son

Frequently asked questions

Who is Nakanishi Yoshinori?

Nakanishi Yoshinori is a Tajima cattle farmer from a ravine area west of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. He joined the family business after high school and had worked about 40 years when profiled in 2009 and 2010.

How does Nakanishi raise Kobe beef cattle?

He uses spring water from 180-meter aquifers, grass from a U.S. contract farm, ventilated sheds and falling group sizes from eight to one animal. He tailors each cow's feed to its condition.

What award did Nakanishi Yoshinori win?

He received the Distinction Award at the 2009 Kyorei Kai Kobe Meat Cattle Show. He reports producing about 15 champion cattle a year.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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