Talk:Kobe beef

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[edit] More information

This article needs information about how the cows are raised/treated, the treatment of the beef, etc. 69.138.26.126 15:49, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

I think what the article really needs is a treatise on the perception of Kobe beef in the West. As a japonologist, I have been asked many times (and I believe many of the people that seek out this article are interested in this as well) about the 'legend' of Kobe beef and the alleged massaging of the cows and whatnot. I usually tell people that a lot of info about Japan, the Japanese and their ways is immensely exaggerated, but to tell the truth, I have no idea whether Kobe cows really do get massages or not. I would appreciate more info on this from somebody more knowledgable. TomorrowTime 18:14, 30 June 2007 (UTC)
There are also rumors that Kobe cattle are fed on veal of all things. No idea if this is true or not, but a section on Kobe beef folklore or rumors would be quite useful, as well as any confirmed details of the actual practices that are known. Prom77 03:34, 10 October 2007 (UTC)
It's an unreliable rumors because the Japanese goverment prohibited breeding of cattle with MBM. (Ref.(Japanese)飼料及び飼料添加物の成分規格等に関する省令)--Mujaki 16:32, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Neutrality: "Kobe-style" beef

I had a concern about the following recently-added statement.

After all beef imports from Japan were banned for 4 years (when Mad Cow Disease was discovered there), many unscrupulous retailers began heavily marketing the US-raised beef as "Kobe-style" (while charging amounts impossibly low for true Kobe), in order to support the meat's consumer base. The ranchers claim any differences are largely cosmetic.

The citation listed does not support this harsh rebuke against U.S. beef. Although purists may dislike the leveraging of the "Kobe" name is there anything actually illegal or even objectively unethical based on any standard business practices that can be cited?

The "impossibly low" comment similarly seems to be an unsupported dig.

--Mcorazao 03:16, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

I have no idea of the content. But I think the "impossibly low" comment is not a dig because Kobe beef is impossibly more expensive than foreign beef such as U.S. beef in Japan too.--Mujaki 16:55, 25 July 2007 (UTC)
I agree about the POV aspect. I've made a few changes to hopefully fix that up. That a look at it and if you're happy, you can remove the POV tag. Ka-ru 08:40, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

That's why my so-called $28 "Kobe Burger," which I had over the weekend, tasted a bit off. WTF~! TheAsianGURU (talk) 21:50, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Pedigree certificate

Someone has just added the following text:

"The restaurants in Japan that serve Kobe Beef take their tradition very seriously. In the best restaurants in Kobe you will find certificates covering the particular cow that you are eating. This certificate will read like a pedigree of a prized pet outlining the name, conception date, age of the particular cow, and will have a "nose print" (similar to a large finger print) for verification."

Really, I have never heard of this. I've eaten at one or two very reputable Kobe beef restaurants in Kobe and never encountered this. It sounds a lot like a hoax. I have removed it based on it be unsourced and sounding fantastical. If anyone can come up with a valid reference, then it can be added back to the article. Ka-ru 18:06, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Wagyu restrants (yainiku, sukiyaki, shabu shabu and steak), known as "牛肉トレーサビリティ法の対象店", post the numbers of beefs on the wall. The comsumer can know the informations of the beef by the number on the internet. (Ref. (Japanese)牛肉トレーサビリティ by MAFF) I saw the numbers in some kobe beef restrants. And Kobe beef restrants and butcher's shops get certificate of the kobe beef. (Ref.(Japanese)神戸ビーフが届くまで) It seems that some restrants and shops inform the certificate to prove validity.--Mujaki 11:15, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Yes this is true about the certificates. I work at a restaurant in San Francisco, one of the few that serve real kobe beef (miyazaki beef in our case) and we do have the certificate for every cow including name, weight, age at slaughter, muzzle print, parent's names and weights, everything. It's not a hoax. It should be available at any restaurant (in america at least) that serves real kobe beef (by the way ours is $95 for a 5 ounce steak!) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.181.1.216 (talk) 17:28, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Kobe Bryant

OK, there have been a number of edits recently, pretty much all by one-off edits from IP addresses (not regular wiki editors) adding that Kobe Bryant is named after Kobe beef. I've removed them as they've been added as I don't really see this as relevant to this article. It's a relevant fact for the Kobe Bryant article, but for someone looking up this article, the fact that a basketballer's father named his son based on a restaurant menu is no relevance to the actual beef. What are people's opinion on this? Shouldn't this article just be about the beef? Ka-ru (talk) 08:25, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, I think many people don't mind that that Kobe Bryant is in See also section by WP:N; For example, he became a Kobe Ambassador because his name refers to Kobe beef ((Japanese) Kobe city office, Kobe Shimbun). Incidentally, Japanese edition makes reference to Kobe Bryant and Steven Spielberg in See also section.--Mujaki (talk) 14:25, 9 June 2008 (UTC)