Opened back in 2015 in a quiet, residential part of Setagaya's Yoga, butcher shop Tokyo Cowboy has quickly earned a strong following among the city's carnivores. Run by a two-man team, owner Nozomi Ueno and self-styled 'meat concierge' Takashi Ninomiya, who has been in the meat business for around half of his 31 years, the store is a worthy destination for anyone serious about their animal flesh.
Housed in a red-brick building formerly occupied by a vintage car retailer, Tokyo Cowboy evokes a casual West Coast feel and feels a world away from your average neighbourhood butcher. It deals exclusively in kuroge (black-haired) wagyu and brings in meat from across the country – more than any specific area, these fellows emphasise quality above all.
Even dedicated meat lovers may discover something new here, as the wares range from mainstay cuts such as sirloin and chateaubriand to more obscure bits that often don't have a set English translation or aren't cut like this outside of Asia.
These include togarashi (roughly top shoulder), kamenoko (lower thigh), maki (between the rib cap and small end rib roast) and misuji (lower shoulder flank), all of which are available by weight.
Most of the beef is cut to order by Ninomiya – a move that reduces waste to a minimum – but Tokyo Cowboy also stocks hand-minced meat for wagyu burgers, a grill-ready wagyu tasting set with several different cuts to compare and appraise, and elaborate gift boxes stuffed with roast beef. Their selection even goes beyond beef, incorporating imported cutting boards, frying pans and wagyu-compatible condiments.
One quirky feature is the 'meat-keeping' service, which lets you store your pound of flesh at the shop – it's kept in a temperature-controlled case and only taken out when you ask for it.
Having formerly worked at an international financial firm, Ueno is happy to assist customers in English, and hopes that his shop can help broaden people's wagyu vistas. 'Wagyu isn't all about branded beef,' he says. 'There's a wide range of delicious wagyu out there, and I'd like our customers to get to know these lesser-known products as well.'
As for the location, Tokyo Cowboy's somewhat out-of-the-way spot is no accident. Having chosen to settle in a residential ’hood in order to cater to locals just looking for dinner ingredients, the duo lament the fact that such day-to-day communication has become a rarity these days.
Hoping to preserve tradition by positioning themselves as 'meat concierges', these guys sure don't look like your average butchers, but adhere to an ethos that oozes continuity. In a time where home delivery services and giant supermarkets are driving the butchers of the olden days out of business, Tokyo Cowboy just might be the answer Tokyo's passionate carnivores are looking for.
See full details for Tokyo Cowboy here
