Nurtured at the foot of Mount Akagi — a Gunma brand pork that shines with the sweetness of its fat and the tenderness of its lean red meat.
Joshu Souten Buta (Joshu Azure-Sky Pork) is a brand pork born and raised on the Akagi mountain foothills in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture. Consistently managed by Yokoyama Hog Farm Co., Ltd., founded in 1985, it is raised slowly over 180 days on the crystal-clear groundwater welling up from Mount Akagi and a proprietary special feed of 7 or more grain varieties with a 15%+ barley content. The barns adopt a windless system — one of the defining features is the incorporation of a free-roaming style where pigs can move freely within the clean, comfortable environment of automated temperature and humidity control. Fine nutritional balance control is maintained through switching between 5 types of feed according to growth stage, with a grain compound feed with added Vitamin E given in the finishing stage for further meat quality elevation. By minimizing medication use through stress-reduced rearing, and by conducting full-herd blood sampling twice yearly in spring and autumn to closely manage health conditions, proactive effort is also put into early disease detection and prevention. The greatest appeal of Joshu Souten Buta lies in its outstandingly high-quality fat. Richer in oleic acid and palmitic acid than standard brand pork, the fat is refreshingly clean and non-cloying — when it enters the mouth, a sweetly fragrant aroma and mellow umami that spreads gently can be enjoyed. The lean is highly water-retentive, moist and soft, with the fragrance and juiciness when grilled standing out vividly. Widely reputed to be easy to eat even for those who dislike pork — the umami stands out especially in pork sauté and tonkatsu.
Basic Information
- Name
Joshu Souten Buta - Production Area
Designated farms in Gunma Prefecture - Management Body
Yokoyama Hog Farm Co., Ltd. - Breed / Crossbreeding
Female (Landrace × Large White) × Male: Duroc / Female (Large White × Landrace) × Male: Duroc - Meat Characteristics
Rich in oleic acid and palmitic acid; fat is light and delicately sweet with mellow umami. Lean meat is moist and tender with high water retention, fragrant and juicy when cooked. - Feed Characteristics
Proprietary blend of 7+ grains including at least 15% wheat. Five feed types used by growth stage; vitamin E-enriched grain feed given during finishing. - Shipping Age
180 days - Annual Production
18,000 head annually - Signature Dish
Pork sauté
Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) - Certifications
Trademark registration: September 3, 2010 - Related URLs
Yokoyama Hog Farm | Pig Farming in Maebashi, Gunma
Central Foods | Joshu Souten Buta Brand Pork
Tokyu Store | Gunma-Produced Joshu Souten Buta - Source
Branded Pork Guidebook 2026, p.79
群馬県前橋市の養豚業｜横山ホッグファーム
精肉 上州蒼天豚 阿波尾鶏 地養鳥 銘柄肉 セントラルフーズ
群馬県産 上州蒼天豚 – 東急ストアのおすすめ情報
Last updated
6/21/2026