Kita Shinshu Miyuki Pork

Nurtured by the pure water and earth of snowy northern Shinshu — a rare brand pork called a phantom.

Kita Shinshu Miyuki Pork is a Japanese brand pork (meigara-buta) from Nagano Prefecture, managed by Nagano Agricultural Cooperative. Breed / crossbreeding: Three-breed cross (LWD): Female (Landrace × Large White) × Male Duroc.

Kita Shinshu Miyuki Pork, raised around Iiyama City in the mountains and clear waters of northern Nagano Prefecture — North Shinshu — is a brand pork long beloved locally and earning high evaluation at restaurants in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Production was fully launched in 1992, with trademark registration in 1997. From the good meat quality produced by strict production management, it is also called the ‘phantom pork’ — a rare specialty.

The greatest appeal of Kita Shinshu Miyuki Pork is the coexistence of firm, taut texture with a moist, soft eating experience. The fat is non-cloying, with an elegant sweetness and richness spreading in the mouth — producing a never-tiring deliciousness.

This high meat quality is the result of carefully selected compound feed and the devoted rearing management of pig farmers. A unified designated compound feed combining corn, barley, cassava, and milo is given consistently, and the pigs are raised slowly to 180 days of age — firmly drawing out the inherent umami of the ingredient. The breed is a three-breed cross — Landrace × Large White sow crossed with Duroc. With JA Nagano Agricultural Cooperative as the managing body, production in a unified method based on rearing management manuals means minimal quality variation — it can be eaten with confidence.

Representative eating methods range across tonkatsu, ginger pork stir-fry, hamburger steak, and hot pot dishes. Preparations that draw out the sweetness and softness of the meat are preferred — a popular menu item at restaurants throughout local Iiyama City. Also attracting nationwide attention as a furusato nozei return gift — the rarity of being hard to obtain outside the area adds further appeal.

Basic Information

• Name
  Kita Shinshu Miyuki Pork
• Production Area
  Nagano Prefecture (farms in the JA Nagano area)
• Management Body
  Nagano Agricultural Cooperative (JA Nagano)
• Breed / Crossbreeding
  Three-breed cross (LWD): Female (Landrace x Large White) x Male Duroc / or Landrace x Large White
• Meat Characteristics
  Meat that combines firmness with moist softness. The fat is not cloying, with an elegant sweetness and richness — a flavor you never tire of. Shipping weight: 110–120 kg.
• Feed Characteristics
  Unified designated compound feed combining corn, barley, cassava, milo, etc. A dedicated formulation designed to bring out umami to the fullest, with appropriate management under the Feed Safety Act.
• Shipping Age
  180 days
• Annual Production
  Approx. 1,400 head annually (rare; distribution outside the city is limited)
• Signature Dish
  Tonkatsu / Ginger pork (shogayaki) / Hamburg steak / Hot pot / Katsudon / Sauté, etc.
• Certifications
  Trademark registered: July 11, 1997 / Brand regulations established: April 1, 1992 / Farm HACCP: none / JGAP: none
• Related URLs
  JA Nagano (Official Site)
  Iiyama Tourism Bureau – Miyuki Pork Feature
• Source
  Branded Pork Guidebook 2026, p.115
  JA Nagano (Official Site)
  Iiyama Tourism Bureau
  Nagano Prefecture Agricultural Products Tasting Guide
  JA Nagano (Official Site)

Last updated
6/21/2026