Ishigaki beef

JA Okinawa's definition is tight. The animal must be a purebred Japanese Black steer or heifer with a production record, raised and finished in Yaeyama district for about 20 months or more, and shipped at 24 to 35 months for steers or 24 to 40 for heifers. Yield must grade A or B and quality 2 to 5. Grades 4 and 5 carry the Tokusen (special selection) mark, and grades 2 and 3 are sold as Meisan.

For a long time Yaeyama bred calves and shipped them to famous beef regions such as Matsusaka, so the islands had no brand of their own. Ishigaki beef appears in records in 1987, and producers settled on the single name in 1997. The G8 summit dinner in July 2000 put it in front of the world's press. The name became a regional collective trademark on 11 April 2008. From 2003 JA focused sales on Okinawa itself, and by 2005 about 90% of the beef was eaten on the islands.

Yakiniku is the usual way to eat it on the island, and at Yamamoto the harami and upper cuts can sell out. The steak houses cook it to order on a teppan. Book ahead for dinner: Yamamoto calls reservations essential and keeps a 90-minute limit, and Watanabe takes guests by reservation.