Chiya cattle originate in Niimi in northern Okayama Prefecture, and are a type of black-haired Japanese cattle that have a direct blood line to the tsuru-ushi, the cattle that are said to have the oldest pedigree in Japan and be the source of modern-day wagyu beef. This top quality beef has been constantly nurtured and improved here in the natural environment of the Chugoku region mountains, with farmers upholding traditions since the Edo period (1603-1868) onwards. Chiya beef is characterized by its complex marbling that strikes just the right balance with the sweetness of the red meat and has a wonderful soft and quality texture and flavor. As the number of cattle raised is extremely limited, this branded beef is very rare and is hardly ever shipped out of the prefecture.