ReKing

Held every five years, the Zenkyo beef competition is only partially about winning. It's also about the Japanese concept of "ikigai" and the search for the Shangri-La of steak.


There's a unique competition in Japan that's reminiscent of the Westminster Dog Show, where animals are celebrated for their beauty, breeding and other attributes. But unlike their canine comrades, this contest is about food, these animals are cows, and the winning breeders get the opportunity to sell their cattle and carcasses to the best restaurants and butchers in the world at the highest price.

This is the Japanese Wagyu Olympics, and these are high "steaks". But that's only half of the story.

The Wagyu Olympics (formally known as Zenkyo) was launched in 1966 to help encourage a high level of cattle breeding, tourism and promote Wagyu beef in and out of the country. The competition takes place every five years and awards cattle farmers with the designation of the best beef in the world.

There are two main competitive categories: Breed Improvement, which judges a cow on its size, proportions and other outwardly visible standards; and Meat Quality, where the carcasses are judged on fat quality and content. At the end of the competition, the best breeding cows and carcasses are sold at auction to the highest bidders in Japan. Beef sales from the auction can run upwards of ¥72,000 (about £442). And if you've seen Wagyu beef on a menu and were shocked by the price, this is why.

Both a competition and a trade show, the Wagyu Olympics always starts with a theme. For the 2022 event, the theme roughly translates to "shining a spotlight on the power of regional Wagyu beef", which aims to highlight the diversity of Wagyu beef throughout the country. This year's competition takes place 6-10 October and will see 41 prefectures competing for the best Wagyu, with the show attracting nearly half a million people during the five-day event.

Over the course of the week, pairs of breeding cows and fattening cows will be paraded and prodded and (sadly) slaughtered for Wagyu beef supremacy. But winning is only partially about competing. It's also about the Japanese concept of ikigai and the search for the Shangri-La of steak.

"[Ikigai] is a deep sense of purpose; the reason for getting up every morning; that which gives one's life much of its meaning," said Andrea Fazzari, James Beard award-winning photographer and author of Sushi Shokunin. "Iki means "life" and gai conveys a sense of value. What a shokunin (master) does daily should not only bring him or herself meaning, but it should also bring meaning or pleasure to others."

In Japan, craftspeople and practitioners of all stripes are known for their relentless pursuit of perfection in whichever field they trade in. You can see this in everything from rice cultivation to the elaborate artistry of Raku tea bowls to sushi masters like the protagonist of the acclaimed film Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

It's this pursuit of excellence that also drives Wagyu beef farmers to breed the ultimate cow and the Olympics is their opportunity to share their life's work.

But let's back up. Technically speaking, "Wagyu" simply means Japanese cow. They are cows that are selectively bred for their ability to produce intramuscular fat, which gives the beef its signature marbling. If you see a steak with white lines streaming throughout (as opposed to fatty blobs around the edges), you're seeing the marbling first-hand.

"Intramuscular means the fat is within the muscles. It's the last fat that gets deposited. It's the most metabolically expensive, and it's the hardest to achieve," said Mark Schatzker, author of Steak: One Man's Search for the World's Tastiest Piece of Beef. He explained that the Japanese farmers achieve this high level of marbling because they feed their cattle a "cooler ration, like barley, that's diluted with higher fibre feeds such as hay, that are far less calorically intense over a much longer period of time." As a result, the Wagyu cattle put on weight slowly, which helps give the beef its marbling. Schatzker goes on to say that in contrast, a hot ration, often corn, is what cows are fed in a feedlot that is much more energy dense and pushes the cattle to put on fat much faster – hence the blobs.

Marbling is only one factor in giving Wagyu beef its distinctive taste. Schatzker says the cattle "retain more flavour because they're eating more green stuff, so that they have time to actually develop some flavour and deposit that flavour in their flesh." But the selective breeding also plays a major factor because Wagyu cows have a prominent gene called delta-9 desaturase.

"This is interesting because Wagyu is a breed which really does have distinctive traits that you can taste… And one of the traits is the soft fat. All cattle have the delta-9 desaturase gene, but Wagyu express it more," Schatzker explained. "And this [gene] converts stearic acid  which is a saturated fat – into oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat that's the fat that's predominant in olive oil."

"The result is that the fat has a lower rendering point. And it has a softness you can feel in your mouth, and I think it also has a slightly sweeter taste. It produces a different flavour profile."

When it comes to competing within the Wagyu world, there are scales that determine the beef's quality (and ultimately its price). Perhaps you've heard of A5 Wagyu. The "A" means that a particular cow had a high yield (how much meat you can get from it)  a "B" or "C" is a lower yield but doesn't mean less quality. And that cow's fat content  the "5"  was very high as well. On top of the A1-A5 scale, there's also a Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) with a scale that goes from 1-12. So, if a steak is rated A5-12, it's considered the very best of the best.

"It has a softness you can feel in your mouth, and I think it also has a slightly sweeter taste. It produces a different flavour profile."
"I think the thing that makes it so interesting, as with everything the Japanese do, they take it to such an extent that seems almost unimaginable," said Schatzker. "The American beef industry is driven by marbling, and everybody thinks Prime [the highest grade] is the apotheosis. And then you see, like an A2 ribeye in Japan, and the scale goes up to A5 and it just destroys Prime. It makes it look like a joke. And the Japanese do this with everything. They take things other people have done in other cultures, and they perfect them. Everything they touch, they perfect. And they've done that with beef."

Achieving steak perfection in Japan is more about the journey than the goal, however. Fazzari explained that one aspect of ikigai is kaizen, or the notion of constant improvement.

Chef Kentaro Ikuta at the newly opened AMA Sushi inside the Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel in Montecito, California, leans into this notion of kaizen when considering the fish and Wagyu he's serving to customers. "I am a family man, passionate about my craft and the constant [search for] perfection [while] being aware that perfection never comes. Every day, when I shine my knife… or use my hands to measure the salt and the vinegar in the rice, I know that one millimetre or one-gram counts and I am aware how much a little detail can make the difference in my life and in the world around me."

EATING WAGYU IN JAPAN
Looking for the Shangri-la of steak while visiting Japan? Head to Kitashinchi Fukutatei in Osaka, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant that's known for its furnace grilled chateaubriand steak sandwiches. If you're in Kyoto, check out Miyoshi, another Michelin-starred spot with a bevy of steak dishes. For the Wagyu Olympic champion Miyazaki Prefecture, you can find a list on their website of restaurants in Japan (and around the world) that carry their award-winning beef. If you want to see a Wagyu farm first-hand, you can find tours that will get you up close and personal with the cows.

Like other trade masters around Japan, Wagyu farmers also embody this idea of kaizen. According to Mika White, a tourism marketing specialist at Tourism Exchange Japan, "Wagyu cattle farmers pride themselves to raise the best Wagyu a consumer could have. It's their life's work to keep on perfecting the highest quality and be recognised with the quality by the consumer. Honorary awards mean a lot here in Japan."

Although there's no cash prize for the winning prefecture at the Wagyu Olympics, there is an immense sense of pride and honour for the winning farmers. And winning is important in several other ways.

"It's a great way to showcase a beef brand [that's] lesser known nationally," said White. "By winning the competition, the beef price will go up, so this is the most important competition for the farmer and the prefecture as well." She added that when specific regions get recognition for their Wagyu, tourists will come to seek out the best of the best, wherever it may be.

The 41 prefectures competing in the 2022 Olympics will all bring their cattle to Kagoshima Prefecture on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. The island is also home to the dominant force in the Wagyu competition world: Miyazaki Prefecture. Miyazaki is readily considered the best producer of the highest rated Wagyu steaks and has won in at least one category at the previous three Olympics (something that's never been done before). And this year, they're competing on their home turf.

You can find Miyazaki beef at the best restaurants in the world, and chefs will contend that it's due to the consistency of the product. (Consistency in exported Wagyu can vary and is often due to restrictions on beef imports by local governments.)

Hilary Henderson, a private chef and the former chef de cuisine at world-famous Wolfgang Puck steakhouse CUT Lounge in Beverly Hills, added, "It's good to give people different options of things to try, but you want to be able to produce the same results over and over again. And having Miyazaki be consistently rated so high makes that easier for a chef to know that they can continue to be consistent with the product." 

Chef Ikuta uses Miyazaki Wagyu at his restaurant because, "[It's] the combination of care of raising the cattle, the extreme regulations they must go through to ensure quality, and the feeding and the genetic makeup of their marbled meat." He continued, "The feeding of [Miyazaki's Wagyu cattle] the kuroge washu (one of the Japanese wagyu breeds) comprises 15 kinds of feed, such as grass from the meadow, moist barley mash (a by product of beer brewing), maize and so forth, with no preservatives or antibiotics whatsoever. The feed for the cattle is mixed every morning and evening during an extremely labour-intensive process lasting two hours."

When you ask the Japanese farmers themselves about this labour of "steak" love, it's easy to get a sense that these cows are more than just a commodity. "The most important thing is to create the best environment for the cattle and to give them as much love as possible… We do not see them only as animals; we treat them with respect and love," said Karatsu Maeda, a fattening farmer from the Saga Prefecture, a main rival of Miyazaki that is also located on Kyushu.

For Maeda and other farmers, however, raising the best beef always comes back to ikigai, which for him means "ultimately [being] able to deliver delicious beef to consumers". He continued, "We need to work cautiously with our cattle (and give them as much love as possible throughout their life). If we win, our family and employees, as well as our ancestors, will be most pleased with the news for sure."

While it's impossible to achieve true perfection in any one thing, much less beef (especially since food quality can be subjective), the Wagyu Olympics helps drive farmers to get really close as they pursue their life's work. And thanks to the Japanese concept of ikigai, we might be eating better because of it.

Inspired by Covid-19's long lockdowns and safety concerns, cities are implementing pedestrian friendly initiatives and pushing for more car-free spaces.

When the initial wave of Covid prevented indoor gatherings in most countries around the world, many cities responded by quickly reimagining what life could look like outside. Some introduced pedestrian only streets, turned parking spots into pop-up restaurants and added more bike lanes  transforming once car-filled areas into walking- and cycling-friendly spots.

The changes paid dividends, not just in increased economic activity, but studies also showed the virus may spread less quickly in highly walkable neighbourhoods. And while many places have now rolled back these initiatives as life returns to the new normal, some cities have held fast to their pedestrian improvements and have been pushing for even more car free spaces.

We're profiling four cities around the world that made some of the boldest and fastest pedestrian-friendly changes during the pandemic  and are keeping many of those initiatives to encourage residents and visitors to get around on foot.

Paris, France

Even before the pandemic, Paris had a head start in becoming more pedestrian-friendly. As part of a city wide effort to reduce the number of cars, the lower quays that run along the Seine river were fully pedestrianised in late 2016, a move that was made permanent in 2018. In 2020, Mayor Anne Hidalgo was re-elected in part due to her support of the "15 minute city": a new urban planning concept that allows residents to complete all their daily tasks from shopping to schooling to work within the distance of a 15-minute walk or bike ride.

I've lived in Paris for 14 years, and I can confidently say that I've never seen a greater, city wide transformation than the one that's happened most recently to encourage cyclists The pandemic, paired with numerous public transportation strikes prior to lockdown, only strengthened the popularity of these human-centric and environmentally sustainable initiatives. "The beauty of getting around by foot in Paris is highlighted more since Covid," said Kathleen Peddicord, founder of Live and Invest Overseas. "Public transportation was a no-go for a long time and was also more uncomfortable having to wear masks. So, more people started using their feet."

Additional bike lanes have also been introduced to alleviate car traffic. In fact, the city plans to add an additional 180km of bike lanes and 180,000 bike parking spots by 2026.

"I've lived in Paris for 14 years, and I can confidently say that I've never seen a greater, city wide transformation than the one that's happened most recently to encourage cyclists," said Sadie Sumner, who runs the Paris branch of bike touring company Fat Tire Tours.

Major throughways like the Rue de Rivoli in central Paris have been reduced to one lane, while cyclist paths have been 

expanded to the width of three car lanes.

The city also plans to plant 170,000 trees by 2026, with the intention of cooling Paris to make it more comfortable and 
enjoyable for pedestrians. In anticipation of the city's hosting of the 2024 Olympics, the bridge between the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero will be fully pedestrianised, too.

Overall, residents have appreciated the widespread changes, and look forward to even more. "The locals really like it, there are less cars and people seem to be a bit more relaxed," said Paris native Roobens Fils, who blogs at Been Around 
the Globe. He had suggestions for walking-minded travellers: the Parc Rives de Seine, a 7km long stretch by the river; rue Montorgueuil in the heart of Paris for its cheese, wine and flower shops; rue Saint Rustique in Montmartre for its ancient cobblestones (this is the oldest street in Paris); and Cour Saint Emilion for its boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

Bogotá, Colombia

While Bogotá (and Colombia in general) has always had a strong bicycling culture, with cycling as the country's national sport, the pandemic accelerated many car free changes. In 2020, Mayor Claudia Lopez designated an additional 84km of temporary bike lanes to the city's existing 550km Ciclorruta bike path network – already one of the largest in the world  and they have since become permanent.

Bogotá was among the first cities globally to add "pop up" cycle lanes during the pandemic, and residents have noticed the permanent changes have been for the better. "The city has really started to develop a noticeable Amsterdam and Copenhagen vibe over the last few years," said Alex Gillard, founder of Nomad Nature Travel blog and who lived in Bogotá on and off during the pandemic. "There are so many bikes on the streets at all hours of the day, it is quite inspiring."

On Sundays and public holidays, cars are completely banned from certain routes in a programme known as the Ciclovia, attracting more than 1.5 million cyclists, pedestrians and joggers each week.

The city's new SITP buses, which run on electricity and gas, have also improved the public transportation system significantly, according to locals. "The vibe of Bogotá has changed. It's much easier, calmer and safer to move around in the city now," said resident Josephine Remo, who writes an eponymous travel blog.

She recommends travellers check out the historical neighbourhood of La Candelaria where the city was born more than 

400 years ago; they'll find plenty of museums about the city's rich history, as well as restaurants housed in centuries old buildings. She also suggests Usaquén Park for its weekend open-air market, where visitors can check out local Colombian food, crafts and music events.

Milan, Italy

Italy was one of the countries hit hardest initially in the pandemic, and its cities had to adapt quickly to provide alternatives to densely populated public transportation. In summer 2020, Milan embarked on an ambitious plan to widen pavements and expand cycling lanes along 35km of roads previously centred on car traffic. The changes have transformed the city, bringing with it more outdoor dining, open-air markets and urban gardens.

"It's not the Milan I remember from 10 years ago during my college days," said resident Luisa Favaretto, founder of living abroad site Strategistico. "I love the concept of the 15 minute city [a plan Milan has also explored] and was drawn by the city's evolving infrastructure that prioritises people over cars." She's seen a growth in what she calls an "old world" sense of community, as there are more reasons to be outdoors and to meet in communal spaces.

The new CityLife district is not only Milan's largest car-free area but one of the largest car free zones in Europe. "It is filled with public green spaces along with tons of bike lanes, and offers a glimpse into the future of a sustainable Milan," said Favaretto. She also recommends strolling the canals of Navigli and enjoying the neighbourhood's outdoor dining options and nightlife. The north neighbourhood of Isola has been transformed from an industrial district to a walkable and bikeable area full of hip cafes, galleries and boutiques.

Travellers also don't have to worry about finding a bike to enjoy the cycling lanes. The city's bike sharing service, BikeMI, has 300 stations across the city and offers both regular and e-bikes.

San Francisco, US

This northern California city moved quickly during the early pandemic to launch Slow Streets a programme that used signage and barriers to limit car traffic and speeds on 30 corridors in an effort to make them more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. According to data collected by the city, the programme saw a 50% reduction in vehicle traffic, a 17% increase in weekday pedestrian traffic and a 65% jump in weekday cyclist traffic.

It is lovely for pedestrians and bikers to be able to share the streets

Though many of the streets have since been returned to pre pandemic status, residents pushed to make four sections permanent, including those on Golden Gate Avenue, Lake Street, Sanchez Street and Shotwell Street. In September, a vote will be held on the future of the other corridors.

"It is lovely for pedestrians and bikers to be able to share the streets," said resident Leith Steel on the roads that are still 

closed. "You see families out walking, kids playing – it is a much different experience."

She also notes that the city has put money and effort into building better bike routes throughout the city, and they are 

more clearly marked than previously. She recommends really exploring each neighbourhood in San Francisco, since they each have their own feel and character. She likes the tree lined Hayes Valley for its upscale and modern vibes; Outer Sunset for its laid-back surfer vibe and 3.5-mile stretch of white sand beach; and North Beach for its lively street cafes (and the 4th most walkable neighbourhood in the city).

Though there's still much to be done to change San Francisco into a truly pedestrian friendly city, history shows it can be done. One of the city's most walkable areas the Embarcadero along the waterfront was once a freeway until a 1989 earthquake rendered it unusable for vehicles.