Joshu Mugi Sodachi

The pride of Gunma Prefecture — a brand pork with a light flavor, raised on a feed blended with cereal grains.

Joshu Mugi Sodachi is a Japanese brand pork (meigara-buta) from Fujioka City, Shinto Village and others, Gunma Prefecture, managed by Gunma Prefecture Meat Wholesale Market Co., Ltd. Breed / crossbreeding: Female (Landrace × Large White) × Male: Duroc.

Joshu Mugi Sodachi (Joshu Barley-and-Wheat-Raised Pork) is raised at designated farms in Gunma Prefecture under careful, planned production. The defining feature of this brand pork is a dedicated fattening feed that completely excludes all animal-based feed, and is richly blended with cereal grains such as barley and wheat in particular among grains. From approximately 120 days of age through to the day of shipment, this dedicated feed slowly and carefully builds up the pig’s body.

The result is a suppression of the characteristic pork off-odor, with the low melting point of the fat producing a smooth, gentle texture that melts cleanly in the mouth. The lean is finely grained with a pale meat color, with umami firmly concentrated; the fat has a clean, non-cloying sweetness — the two combining in an exquisitely balanced single cut of meat. From the moment it enters the mouth, an initial lightness; then, with each chew, a deep sweetness and rich umami seeping gradually through. This clean, refined flavor is the very reason ‘Joshu Mugi Sodachi’ continues to be chosen for many tables.

The breed is a three-breed cross using Landrace female × Large White male, or the reverse combination, as the sow, crossed with Duroc as the sire. Under brand regulations consisting of quality certification criteria and trading conditions set by the managing body — Gunma Prefecture Meat Wholesale Market Co., Ltd. — promotional tools including seals are also utilized. A stable shipping system of approximately 8,800 head annually is in place, delivered as a brand pork from Gunma Prefecture to a wide range of tables.

The never-tiring, clean flavor is easy to use in daily cooking, with its true value demonstrated in simple preparations that draw out the ingredient’s inherent umami.

Basic Information

• Name
  Joshu Mugi Sodachi
• Production Area
  Fujioka City, Shinto Village (Kitagunma District) and others, Gunma Prefecture
• Management Body
  Gunma Prefecture Meat Wholesale Market Co., Ltd.
• Breed / Crossbreeding
  Female (Landrace × Large White) × Male: Duroc / Female (Large White × Landrace) × Male: Duroc
• Meat Characteristics
  Raised on a dedicated feed that excludes animal-based feed and is rich in cereal grains, giving a finish with suppressed pork off-odor. Fine-grained lean with a pale meat color; fat with a low melting point and a light texture. Meat with a good balance of umami and sweetness
• Feed Characteristics
  Dedicated brand pork feed given from around 120 days of age through shipment. Plant-based compound feed rich in cereal grains such as barley and wheat; no animal-based feed used
• Shipping Age
  Approx. 180 days
• Annual Production
  8,800 head annually
• Signature Dish
  N/A
• Certifications
  Brand regulations: established (quality certification standards and trading conditions)
• Related URLs
  Gunma Prefecture Meat Wholesale Market Co., Ltd.
  Gunma Meat Quality Improvement Council | Joshu Brand Pork
• Source
  Branded Pork Guidebook 2026, p.80
  Gunma Prefecture Meat Wholesale Market Co., Ltd.
  Gunma Meat Quality Improvement Council | Joshu Brand Pork

Last updated
6/21/2026