9 Best Restaurants to Enjoy Premium Tosa Akaushi in Kochi

Tosa Akaushi is a rare breed of brown Japanese Wagyu cattle raised mainly in the mountainous areas of Kochi, with only about 500 to 600 head shipped each year. While many people associate Japanese beef with the rich marbling of Kuroge Wagyu, Tosa Akaushi is prized for its flavorful lean meat. The meat is juicy, finely textured, and has just the right amount of bite, with its rich beef flavor becoming more pronounced with every bite. In this article, we introduce restaurants in Kochi where you can enjoy this exceptional local beef.

• Shikoku
• Kochi
• Localgourmet
• Meat dishes

Tosa Akaushi is known for its light, clean fat and flavorful lean meat whose sweetness deepens with every bite. Raised on a diet of hay and wild grasses and carefully bred over generations, it develops fine marbling that makes the meat juicy yet pleasantly lean. Be sure to try this rare Wagyu while you're in Kochi.

Tenkaaji Sanbashi honten

Tenkaaji Sanbashi Honten is a long-established yakiniku restaurant serving hand-cut, carefully selected Kuroge Wagyu aged for about a month. The restaurant also takes pride in its special sauce, matured for more than three months to develop its rich flavor, pairing perfectly with both grilled meat and steamed rice. Samgyeopsal made with Kochi-grown Imobuta pork is another popular choice. 3-minute walk from Tosaden Kotsu Sanbashi-dori 1-chome Stop.

Yakiniku Daimon

Founded in 1987, Yakiniku Daimon serves high-quality Kuroge Wagyu, with loin and short ribs graded A or higher. A customer favorite is the limited Tokujo Harami (premium skirt steak), featuring the hard-to-find Kuroge Wagyu skirt steak. Tosa Akaushi is available by advance reservation, so be sure to call ahead before your visit. You can enjoy it as loin, short ribs, or round, or as an assorted platter. Pair your meal with TOSACO, a craft beer from Tosa Yamada, and savor the local flavors of Tosa.

Jimotoshoku Reihoku Mura

An izakaya serving local dishes and drinks from the owner's hometown, the Reihoku region of Kochi. It's a convenient stop while sightseeing. The house specialties are dishes made with Reihoku-raised Tosa Akaushi, including steak, aburi nigiri, and menchi katsu (Japanese minced meat cutlets). You can also enjoy dishes featuring amago trout raised in the Reihoku area.

TOSA WAGYU Aka

This restaurant serves dishes made with Tosa Akaushi, a rare Wagyu breed that accounts for only about 0.1% of total Wagyu shipments. Enjoy a variety of preparations, including steaks by cut featuring lean meat aged for two to five months to maximize its umami, as well as Kochi-style warayaki tataki and straw-grilled roast beef. The aging process further enhances the rich flavor of Tosa Akaushi, allowing you to fully appreciate its deep, distinctive taste.

Izakaya Harimaya Riguru

The restaurant uses carefully selected local ingredients, adjusting the cooking temperature for each one to bring out its best flavor. Tosa Akaushi, sourced directly from local farmers, is carefully cooked to create its signature moist and tender texture. The owner is also a certified Tosa Sake Advisor and can recommend local sake that pairs perfectly with the restaurant's signature dishes.

Umi no Ue Shokudo Ukihashi

A restaurant built over the water that attracts visitors from all over Japan for its fresh shellfish dishes. Specialties include kai shabu-shabu, full of rich shellfish flavor, and kai-meshi, a rice dish cooked with shellfish. The restaurant also serves steak made with the rare Wagyu beef Tosa Akaushi, aged for a long time to intensify its umami. Be sure to try it when you visit Kochi.

Petits Verres

Tosa Akaushi dishes include the recommended chunky steak, along with red wine-braised beef, meat sauce pasta, and hamburgers, showcasing the chef's commitment to quality beef. The restaurant also offers an extensive selection of drinks that pair perfectly with the meat, including French wines, Tosa sake, shochu, and craft beer. The casual interior features both counter and table seating, making it easy to relax and enjoy your meal.

Harimaya Yokocho

The restaurant's signature katsuo no tataki is made with fresh bonito delivered directly from Susaki and Kure in Nakatosa, then grilled over a roaring straw fire to order, creating a wonderfully smoky aroma and moist texture. The menu also features hearty meat dishes, including Tosa Akaushi Wagyu steak and Shimanto pork tonteki. The dishes pair perfectly with a carefully selected range of local sake.

Dareyasuke Kemuri

In addition to fresh sashimi made with locally sourced seafood, the restaurant is known for serving the rare Wagyu beef Tosa Akaushi, allowing diners to fully appreciate its rich umami. The menu also features the owner's carefully selected local specialties, including Tosa Hachikin Jidori chicken and dishes made with kibi konnyaku, a local konjac made with millet. Located just a 3-minute walk from Harimayabashi Station, the restaurant offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy your meal.

Final Thoughts

We've introduced restaurants where you can enjoy Kochi's local brand beef, Tosa Akaushi. Be sure to try this rare beef prepared in a variety of ways, from yakiniku and steak to creative dishes.