Tsuyama city is located in Okayama Prefecture with the Chugoku Mountains to its north, the Kibikogen Highlands to its south, and the Yoshii River running through it. In the Edo era (1603-1868), Tsuyama was known as Soja, the ancient capital of the Mimasaka Province.
Today, the city is most famous for being a castle town with Tsuyama Castle located high above the streets. Surrounding the castle is Kakuzen Park, which boasts thousands of cherry blossom trees, promising a gorgeous sight come sakura season in mid-April.
A little-known fact about Tsuyama is that it’s the starting point for world-famous wagyu beef. The young calves that eventually end up as wagyu are raised here before being transported to Kobe and Hida. The city also raises its own cattle and has a slaughterhouse so you’re assured of very fresh meat.
In winter, the city often experiences snow, which is why a particularly satisfying speciality is sozuri gyunabe. This hotpot dish uses beef that’s been scraped off the bone, producing a deeply flavourful broth. You can enjoy this at restaurants within the city such as Bokkemon, a 20-seater casual eatery with a history of 16 years.
Chef Takemasa Nagamatsu used to work in a slaughterhouse so he knows the best parts of the cow and the flavours they produce. He uses the offcuts — intestines, stomach, collagen and blood vessels — to create unique dishes using his own recipes. He serves over 47 different items on the menu and even has his own shochu label.
