Welcome. ---------- February 2019 ---------- In a hidden location in Hokuto City, Donan, there was a ranch with cows. Currently, they are only selling by reservation, so you cannot purchase on a whim due to the limited production of the cows. The Hokuto City-produced Wagyu beef, "Hokuto City-produced Wagyu Oguni Beef," is raised by Oguni-san. Behind the direct sales store, they showed me around the cow shed where the completely black cows are raised in an environment where they can freely roam. They separate the males and females, and the cows are raised in a relaxed environment. Oguni-san feeds them a special blend of food, which is evidence of how strong and large they have grown. The cows are well taken care of by Oguni-san, resulting in healthy bodies. You can sense this when you see the chilled meat. It's quite expensive, but the fine marbling of the meat makes you forget about the price. I recommend starting with the Hikiniku and grilling it as is. I had it grilled, starting with the rib roast and then the head meat. The aroma of the ranch fills the air, and the fine texture of the meat melts in your mouth, with a hint of sweetness from the marbling and a light, milky flavor. It's still relatively unknown, but there are high expectations for this Hokuto City-born black Wagyu beef to become more popular in the future. You can currently enjoy it at the two Hakodate steak & hamburger restaurants and the 5th Street main store in Susukino, but reservations are required.

As local ingredient-focused restaurants are increasing in Hakodate, it's becoming more common to come across this meat in eateries. This time, I wanted to make hamburgers, so I went to this shop to get ground beef. When I entered the shop, I felt like it would be a waste to leave with just ground meat, so I decided to also buy steak meat. They didn't have sirloin, so I had to choose between rump or fillet. I opted for the more affordable rump meat, which was cut into 300g portions. The thick steak looked promising. The beef fat that came with it felt different, light and with a low melting point. If this kind of fat is inside the meat, it's bound to be delicious. Next time, I definitely want to try sirloin. Now, I cooked it. Since it's lean meat, it's better to flavor it with butter while cooking. I should have cooked it a bit longer, as my family prefers it less rare. But it was very tasty and satisfying. For the ground meat, I followed a YouTube recipe for "1-3-6 Hamburgers" and they turned out delicious.

Many people may have heard of Oguni Ranch. It is not only near Hakodate, but also many restaurants in Sapporo use their products. This is the owner's home and direct sales place in front of the ranch. Closed on Tuesdays and Sundays, but open on other days. They sell beef directly raised in the ranch where the cattle are free-range. It is A5 grade meat. I have tried it in various places, but it was my first time visiting the direct sales place. The wife is in charge of the store and she is very friendly. The menu of the day is written on a board. The prices are surprisingly reasonable, around 700 yen for 100g. I bought special sirloin and sirloin. They also sell frozen seasoned meat and ground meat. I also bought 300g of seasoned "kappa" meat for 500 yen. By the way, "kappa" is the thin muscle attached to the top of the belly. When grilled, it doesn't look tough, and it is flavorful with a good amount of fat. It melts in your mouth and is perfect as a snack. In the summer, I often grill outside, so I want to visit frequently. The meat here melts in your mouth instantly. Of course, it is great to enjoy it in pasta ragu sauce or as a main dish in Italian or French restaurants, but it is also good to simply grill it with salt.

The deliciousness melts in your mouth! If you're going out for yakiniku, it's better to buy and eat Oguni's meat! It feels like it melts in your mouth without even chewing. It's cheap but makes you feel luxurious.