Raised with care on mugwort and Vitamin E — a health-conscious Gifu brand pork of soft, clean flavor that accompanies the everyday table.
Hida Kenton / Mino Kenton is a Japanese brand pork (meigara-buta) from Gifu Prefecture, managed by Hida Kenton. Breed / crossbreeding: Three-breed cross (LWD): Female (Landrace × Large White or Large White × Landrace) × Male Duroc.
Hida Kenton and Mino Kenton are brand pork produced in Gifu Prefecture. The name ‘kenton’ means ‘healthy pork’ — ‘ken’ for healthy and ‘ton’ for pork — the commitment to healthy pig rearing is embedded in the name itself.
The defining feature of this brand is the commitment to feed. In addition to standard feed, a special feed is used for rearing — with added artemisia (mugwort/yomogi), said to have an appetite-stimulating effect, and Vitamin E to suppress fat oxidation. Artemisia is said to have the effect of making pigs eat heartily — helping them to vigorously eat even in the hot summer period. The addition of Vitamin E suppresses fat oxidation — with minimal meat juice (drip) outflow, making it easy to maintain good freshness even after purchase — a major appeal.
As a result of such rearing management, Hida Kenton and Mino Kenton are finished with a soft, clean mouth feel — the inherent umami of pork can be firmly enjoyed. The non-cloying, easy-to-eat meat quality means it can be widely utilized in a variety of preparations such as shabu-shabu, loin steak, katsu, and yakiniku.
The production area is limited to farms within Gifu Prefecture — targeting pigs fattened in both the Hida area and the Mino area. Within the rich nature of Gifu Prefecture, the Hida Kenton / Mino Kenton Promotion Council conducts unified quality management — with a system where only pork meeting the standards is shipped as a brand. Please do try the elegant umami unique to this prefecture-produced brand pork on daily tables.
Basic Information
- Name
Hida Kenton / Mino Kenton - Production Area
Gifu Prefecture (2 farms within the prefecture) - Management Body
Hida Kenton / Mino Kenton Promotion Council - Breed / Crossbreeding
Three-breed cross (LWD): Female (Landrace x Large White or Large White x Landrace) x Male Duroc - Meat Characteristics
Oxidation progresses slowly even after purchase and little drip is released, so freshness is retained longer / Tender pork with a light, clean mouthfeel that is easy to eat - Feed Characteristics
Mugwort (yomogi) and vitamin E added to the feed / Mugwort stimulates appetite; vitamin E helps suppress fat oxidation and reduce drip loss - Shipping Age
Approx. 170 days - Annual Production
4,500 head annually. Shipping age: approx. 170 days. Shipping weight: approx. 120 kg. Primary slaughterhouse: Gifu City Meat Market. Primary wholesaler: Gifu Prefecture Livestock Corporation. - Signature Dish
Shabu-shabu / Loin steak and katsu / Shoulder-loin yakiniku - Certifications
Designated retailer program in place
Brand regulations established: December 26, 1995; revised August 3, 2022 - Related URLs
Gifu Prefecture Livestock Agricultural Cooperative Federation – Kenton
Gifu-Hare Farming & Employment Portal – Kenton
Maruaki Online Shop – Hida/Mino Kenton
Buta Trace Farm Detail (Kenton) - Source
Branded Pork Guidebook 2026, p.132
Gifu Prefecture Livestock Agricultural Cooperative Federation
Gifu-Hare Farming & Employment Portal
Wikipedia – Kenton
Maruaki Online Shop
Buta Trace Pig Traceability System
Related brand pork
Last updated
6/21/2026
