What Are Japan's Food Safety Standards for Wagyu?

The short answer: Japan enforces some of the strictest food safety regulations in the world, and any restaurant legally serving rare-style beef must meet the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's internal temperature standards — specifically, heating the core of the meat to over 70°C. At Itadaki in Osu, Nagoya, every bowl of Rare Wagyu Gyudon meets this requirement through our proprietary two-stage cooking technique, which is why we can say with confidence: our rare-style wagyu is both legally compliant and safe to enjoy.

But understanding why those standards exist — and how Itadaki fits into that framework — requires a bit more context. This article walks you through Japan's food safety system for wagyu, what it means in practice at our restaurant, and — perhaps just as importantly — how to actually find us in the sometimes-labyrinthine streets of Osu.

Who This Is For

• ✅ First-time visitors to Japan who are curious about the safety of rare or medium-rare beef dishes
• ✅ Travelers planning a lunch stop in Nagoya's Osu district who want clear directions from Nagoya Station or their hotel
• ✅ Wagyu enthusiasts who've tried Kobe or Matsusaka and are now exploring lesser-known Japanese beef experiences
• ✅ Anyone who's ever opened Google Maps in Osu and immediately felt lost
• ✅ Visitors combining a Nagoya lunch with onward travel to Shirakawa-go, Takayama, or Gifu

What Does Japan's Food Safety Law Actually Require for Rare Beef?

Japan's Food Sanitation Act, enforced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, sets clear temperature thresholds for beef preparation. For dishes that present beef in a rare or medium-rare style, the regulation requires the meat's core to reach at least 63°C for 30 minutes, or — more commonly in restaurant settings — a core temperature exceeding 70°C for a shorter duration. These standards are designed to eliminate pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can be present on the surface or interior of beef.

Critically, Japan's regulations apply not just to the surface (as with traditional seared steak) but to the core when beef is served in a raw-style presentation. This is why you'll notice that many izakayas and casual restaurants in Japan do not serve rare beef in bowl form — the technical requirements are significant, and not every kitchen can meet them reliably.

For a deeper look at how Japan's wagyu grading and quality control systems intersect with food safety, this guide to Japanese wagyu grades and what they mean covers the broader quality framework that underpins wagyu production in Japan.

How Does Itadaki Meet These Standards While Delivering a Rare Texture?

This is the question at the heart of what makes Itadaki unusual — and it's the question that founder Masayuki Goto spent considerable time solving before opening in April 2022.

Goto holds a Certified Food Sanitation Supervisor qualification under Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Itadaki operates under a Licensed Restaurant Operator permit issued by the Aichi Prefecture Public Health Center. These aren't decorative credentials — they reflect the legal and technical framework within which our kitchen operates every day.

The solution Goto developed is what we call the two-stage cooking technique. Without going into the full technical detail (that's covered separately elsewhere on this site), the core principle is this: the beef is processed in two distinct temperature-controlled stages, each serving a specific function. The result is that the core of every portion of wagyu exceeds 70°C — fully satisfying Japan's food safety requirement — while the mouthfeel and appearance retain the softness and color that guests associate with rare preparation. It took genuine culinary and food science problem-solving to achieve, and it's the reason Itadaki is the only restaurant in Japan offering this specific concept.

Masayuki Goto is also a direct-supply partner with Horai Wagyu farms in Aichi — meaning the sourcing chain itself is traceable and controlled, from the farm in Okumikawa to the bowl on your table.

"The rare wagyu was unlike anything I've ever tasted — a life-changing culinary experience."

— A guest visiting Itadaki in Osu, Nagoya

That kind of response isn't about novelty alone. It reflects what happens when exceptional ingredients — Horai Wagyu, raised by only 3 farms producing just 300 heads annually — meet a preparation technique that preserves their character without compromise.

✓ Key Takeaways

• Japan requires rare-style beef to reach a core temperature above 70°C — Itadaki's two-stage technique meets this standard fully.
• Itadaki's founder holds a Certified Food Sanitation Supervisor qualification and operates under Aichi Prefecture's Licensed Restaurant Operator permit.
• Horai Wagyu — the star ingredient — comes from a fully traceable direct-supply chain with farms in Okumikawa, Aichi.

Are There Ingredients I Should Know About Before Visiting?

Transparency matters, especially for international visitors managing dietary requirements or allergies. Here's what's in every standard Rare Wagyu Gyudon bowl:

• Soy: present in the white soy sauce base (from Hekinan City) used in our "magic sauce," in Hatcho miso from Okazaki, and in the Atsumi Ichō-zuke pickled radish.
• Wheat: present in soy sauce.
• Egg: a Nagoya Cochin egg from Yamada Poultry Farm comes with every gyudon. It can be removed at −¥150 if needed.
• Sesame: present in the complimentary chirimen jako (dried whitebait) topping available on the table. Our original 8-spice blend does not contain sesame.

Itadaki does not hold Halal certification, and our beef is not Halal-certified. Guests with strict Halal requirements are kindly advised to factor this into their planning. We don't offer full vegetarian or vegan options — we're a wagyu specialty restaurant, and that focus is intentional.

If you have severe allergies, please mention them when making your reservation. Cross-contamination cannot be fully guaranteed in a small kitchen environment, and we'd rather give you accurate information upfront than a reassurance we can't back up.

How Do You Actually Get to Itadaki from Nagoya Station — and Not Walk Past It?

Here's where food safety questions end and practical travel questions begin — because even the most safety-confident visitor still needs to find the restaurant. Osu is a wonderful district, but it is genuinely maze-like, and Itadaki is on the 2nd floor of a building that's easy to miss at street level.

The simplest route from Nagoya Station:

1. Take the Higashiyama Line from Nagoya Station toward Fujigaoka.
2. Get off at Sakae Station (two stops, about 3 minutes).
3. Transfer to the Meijo Line at Sakae.
4. Ride one stop to Yabacho Station (about 2 minutes).
5. Exit from Exit 4 and walk for approximately 4 minutes.

Total time from Nagoya Station: roughly 10 minutes. Once you exit Yabacho Station Exit 4, you're essentially in the Osu area already — the walk is short and relatively straightforward compared to navigating the shopping street itself.

You can also reach us on foot from Sakae Station, Kamimaezu Station, and Osu Kannon Station — all are within walking distance, which is useful if you're combining your visit with a stroll through Osu Shopping Street or a stop at Osu Kannon Temple.

Finding the entrance: Look for the Japanese sign at street level that reads 「元祖レア牛丼 頂」 (this reads as "Ganso Rea Gyudon Itadaki" — roughly, "The Original Rare Wagyu Gyudon Itadaki"). The restaurant is on the 2nd floor; take the stairs up from the street-level entrance. If you're relying on Google Maps, be aware that it can be imprecise in this part of Osu — using the direct link on our website tends to be more reliable for getting you to the right building.

Nearby landmarks that help orient you: Osu Kannon Temple is a 5-minute walk, and Hisaya-odori Garden Flarie — a free-admission urban garden worth visiting — is a 3-minute walk from Yabacho Station, the same station you'll arrive at. Many visitors pair a morning stroll through the garden or the temple grounds with an Itadaki lunch, which works beautifully as a Nagoya morning itinerary.

There is no dedicated parking at Itadaki, but multiple coin parking lots are available in the Osu area within a 1–3 minute walk. That said, arriving by subway is genuinely the easiest approach — Osu's narrow lanes make driving and parking more stressful than it's worth.

One more practical note: Horai Wagyu is limited to 10 bowls per day and can sell out during peak hours. If you're making the trip specifically for Horai Wagyu, a reservation via Tabelog is the most reliable way to secure your bowl. Our monthly business calendar — including any irregular closures — is posted on our official Instagram, worth checking before you set out.

For those who want to go deeper into what makes Horai Wagyu different from other Japanese wagyu, this introduction to Aichi wagyu for international visitors covers the regional context in detail. And if you're weighing wagyu in bowl form against wagyu as a steak experience during your Japan trip, this comparison of wagyu bowl versus wagyu steak lays out the differences clearly.

For our complete menu, access details, and store information, visit our official page at https://itadaki8.com/english/.