“We’re opening a new shop, so please come by.” Invited by a hostess from Ginza, Hachimine headed to Toyosu. All he had in hand was a GOLD AREA pass. A man with virtually no knowledge of meat was about to be ushered into the very best spot at a festival for people who love meat too much.
MEAT MANIA JAPAN — A Day Dedicated to Meat: Exploring Wagyu and Meat Culture
"MEAT MANIA JAPAN" is a yakiniku festival specializing in Wagyu beef, planned and supervised by EXILE SHOKICHI. The event is held at Kirana Garden Toyosu in Toyosu, Tokyo. It brings together a carefully curated selection of yakiniku restaurants, ranging from hard-to-book spots to renowned establishments. The goal is to raise awareness of Wagyu producers and meat culture. It also aims to create a place where fans and friends can gather.
The first event was held in 2024 and attracted approximately 5,000 visitors. For the second edition in 2025, a new “FREE” area with free admission was added. The theme was the “Relay of Life,” which connects breeding farmers, feedlot operators, wholesalers, restaurants, and ultimately, consumers. A limited-time tasting event in collaboration with Edo Sei in Yokohama’s Chinatown and a meat-themed talk session hosted by Ken Watanabe were also major highlights. At the poolside DJ booth, EXILE’s MAKIDAI and others helped liven up the event.
The third annual event, held in 2026, took place on Saturday, October 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., rain or shine. The event was guided by the philosophy of “gratitude toward those who have passed on the baton of life through food.” This year also saw an upgrade, with all plans now including all-you-can-drink.
A Meat Festival Created by a Man Who Loved Meat Too Much
The event’s organizer, SHOKICHI, is known as one of the entertainment industry’s foremost “meat enthusiasts.” In 2019, he launched a project to raise his own Wagyu cattle and has been working to promote Wagyu as a producer. This event was born out of his experience raising cattle and visiting producers across the country. It is not merely a food festival, but also a venue where people can learn the story behind how meat makes its way to the dinner table.
It’s an event where you savor the meat while reflecting on “the hands through which it passed before arriving here.” It was an experience that gave me the sense my understanding of meat was about to be completely transformed.
Three areas and admission rules that show great respect for meat
The venue is divided into three main areas: the private “GOLD AREA,” the “SILVER AREA,” and the “FREE AREA,” where guests can come and go as they please. The yakiniku area features permanent grills where guests can cook their own meat, and purchases must be made in advance. There are no same-day sales, and meat must be purchased in quantities of 12 servings or more. This rule clearly demonstrates the venue’s commitment to quality meat.
The FREE Area features food trucks and a variety of a la carte dishes from yakiniku stalls. The venue brings together two distinct groups: those who drop by casually to enjoy some meat, and those who come to grill heartily and really savor their meat.
What Hachimine had in his possession was a pass to the GOLD AREA—a private room within that section.
The one who invited me was a hostess from one of the booths.
It was an acquaintance of mine—a hostess from Ginza who was running a booth at this event—who invited Hachimine. The woman I usually see out on the town was now wearing the face of a vendor. Hachimine, who is usually the one being welcomed at the club, was a guest of honor that day.
"So you came. Today, I'll be the one showing you around."
"Are you going to be our guide at the Meat Festival?"
"I'm a vendor, after all. I came prepared."
"I was just given a pass to the GOLD AREA; I haven't prepared any knowledge about meat."
"I know. That's why I just gave him the pass."
The moment their roles were reversed, this is what happened. The authority Hachimine had cultivated on the streets at night didn’t hold a candle to the open sky of Toyosu.
"What's the difference between Wagyu and regular beef?"
“...Are you asking me that here?”
"I'd like to make sure I understand why I came here today."
"Think about what it means later. For now, please take your seat."
The vendors were, after all, the stars of the show today. Hachimine obediently went along with it.
Savoring the meat in a private room at GOLD AREA
The GOLD AREA we were shown to is a special seating area where you can relax and savor the meat in a private room. It’s set slightly apart from the buzz of the surrounding crowd, allowing you to focus on the meat as you cook it on the built-in grill. While you can still feel the excitement of the venue, your own space remains calm and peaceful.
Smoke rose into the air, and the aroma of grilling meat tickled my nose. Hachirei’s understanding of meat still boiled down to a single word—“delicious”—but in that setting, that one word was enough.
"This is a great seat."
"It's a great seat. Please feel free to use it."
"Use it with gratitude"
Even if you don’t know much about it, a good seat is kind to everyone. A man who had spent 20 years in Ginza and knew the value of a good seat nodded quietly.
For some reason, Hachimine is the one pouring the champagne at the venue.
It was around the time the meat had started to sizzle and the atmosphere in the private room had begun to loosen up. Champagne was also being sold at the venue. The hostess glanced down at the menu and said casually,
"Mr. Hachimine, would you like me to pour some champagne?"
"Can I get in?"
"Champagne goes well with meat."
"I thought I was supposed to be the guest today."
"So, as a thank-you..."
"Isn't it the other way around?"
"Please don't worry about the details."
She was the one who extended the invitation, and it should have been Hachimine who arranged the passes. Yet, before anyone realized it, Hachimine had ended up being the one to pour the champagne at the venue. It’s a development that defies logic.
Hachimine used to work as a waiter at a club in Ginza, and now he runs his own bar. He’s the kind of guy who knows exactly what to say when someone asks, “Could you pour me some champagne?”—even when he has to say no. But on this particular day, the words just wouldn’t come out.
“...Okay. I’ll put it in.”
"Thank you. That's exactly what I expected."
The moment he agreed, her face lit up instantly. It was a night in Toyosu where their usual roles were reversed. When the glasses were brought to the table, the sound of champagne bubbles popping mingled with the aroma of meat.
"It goes well with meat, doesn't it?"
“...You’re right, it fits.”
As Hachimine sipped his drink, he thought to himself: Perhaps the outcome had already been decided the moment he accepted the invitation.
A commemorative photo with the event organizer
There was another major event at the venue: I posed for a commemorative photo alongside EXILE SHOKICHI, who planned and oversaw the event.
Here we see the organizer of the Meat Festival—who has also dedicated himself to meat as a Wagyu producer—and Hachimine, who knows virtually nothing about meat, both in the same frame. That composition alone is already a bit amusing.
A natural, gentle atmosphere filled the photo shoot. It turned out to be a great shot—one where she looked completely relaxed.
"Mr. Hachimine, you've been working the hardest today."
"Though I haven't been much help when it comes to meat..."
"With this photo, everything's forgiven."
A man who had been soundly defeated in a meat-knowledge contest redeemed his honor with a single photograph. Hachimine’s expression looked just a little prouder than usual.
Summary
In the end, I couldn’t remember much about the differences between Wagyu varieties or the names of the cuts. Still, in a place where true meat lovers gather, there’s a passion that transcends whether or not you have the knowledge. Thanks to the hostess from the vendor who invited me, I was able to soak up the excitement of the event from a private room in the GOLD AREA and even took a commemorative photo with the organizer—so for Hachimine, it was more than enough of a reward.
This event, brought to life by EXILE SHOKICHI as both a Wagyu producer and its biggest fan, taught me that we, the “consumers,” are the final runners in the relay of life. People who roam the city at night will go anywhere if invited. If this event is held again next year, I’d like to be able to at least explain the difference between Wagyu and regular beef by then. Probably.
