Betsukai Town (別海町) in the name of this thank-you gift is the municipality that receives the donation; it is not where the raw material, beef tongue, comes from (the application page states that the beef tongue is from Mexico, the EU, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and that the milk is from Betsukai Town). This article covers the tender beef tongue (thick-cut and thin-cut) on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei application page. You choose the thickness, flavor, quantity, and shipping time, and we have organized five points to check before choosing: quantity, shelf life, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews.
What We Confirmed
- Quantity and how many servings
- Storage method and shelf life
- Ingredients and allergen labeling
- Whether it works as a gift
- Trends in public reviews
Basic Information
This table transcribes what is stated on the application page. However, the “Not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
| Product name | Tender Beef Tongue (やわらか牛タン) 400g–2.4kg (Thick-Cut / Thin-Cut) (Betsukai Town, Hokkaido, Furusato Nozei)The product name shown on Rakuten’s product page is a long string packed with search keywords. Only the product-name part is shown here. |
|---|---|
| Name | Hokkaido Betsukai Town Tender Beef Tongue 1.2kg (Thick-Cut / Thin-Cut) (400g × 3 types)Source: specialty product description on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Reason for “Wake-ari” | The product name shown on Rakuten’s product page includes the word 「訳あり」 (wake-ari, a Japanese label for “imperfect” or “B-grade” goods), but the application page gives no reason for it: Not confirmedSource: product description on the application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Amount | Choose from 400g (1 pack) / 800g (2 packs) / 1.2kg (1 box) / 2.4kg (2 boxes). The name field says “400g × 3 types.” We found no statement of the net weight of the beef tongue alone or the number of servings: Not confirmedSource: same as above |
| What Changes by Selection | Four things: thickness (thick-cut about 8mm / thin-cut about 3mm), flavor (Yamitsuki Salt (やみつき塩) / Koku-Uma Soy Sauce (コク旨醤油) / Rich Miso (濃厚味噌) / 3-flavor tasting set (食べ比べ3種)), quantity, and shipping time. Not every combination is offered, and the combinations you can choose may change in the selection field on the application pageSource: selection field on the application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Donation amount | It differs by the thickness, flavor, quantity, and shipping time you choose. This article does not list amounts, so please check the selection field on the application page before applyingSource: selection field on the application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Storage Method | FrozenSource: product description on the application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Best-Before Date | One year from manufacture. After it arrives, the page advises eating it soon regardless of the dateSource: same as above |
| Thawing Method | We found no specific instructions: Not confirmed |
| Notes After Opening | We found no statement on handling after opening or how long it keeps after thawing: Not confirmed |
| Raw Material Origin | Beef tongue: Mexico, the EU, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. Milk: Betsukai TownSource: origin and ingredient fields on the application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Place of Processing | Betsukai Town. The local-product category is stated as No. 3 (goods that gain considerable added value by being manufactured or processed within the municipality)Source: processing-location and local-product-category fields on the application page |
| Cut | For both thick-cut and thin-cut, only tan-naka (the middle of the tongue) and tan-moto (the base of the tongue) are stated to be usedSource: note in the ingredient field on the application page |
| Seasoning | The product description states that the beef tongue is soaked in milk from Betsukai Town to age it, then soaked in a salt, soy sauce, or miso marinadeSource: product description on the application page |
| State / How to Eat (Whether Cooking Is Required) | It arrives as frozen seasoned meat, and the product description says to just grill it after thawing. We found no wording that states whether cooking is required, and no statement on whether it can be eaten rawSource: product description on the application page |
| Shipping | Frozen. The page states that delivery is not possible to some areas such as Okinawa Prefecture and remote islands. Specifying a delivery date is not possibleSource: shipping-method field and notes on the application page |
| Shipping Time | The selection field showed shipping by the end of each month from the end of October to the end of March, 「最強翌日配送★最短発送」 (next-day delivery, earliest shipping), and a 3-delivery subscription (once a month) (as of October 7, 2026). The page notes that shipping may take longer during busy periods such as the year-end and New Year holidays, or because of weather and traffic. The shipping-time display may changeSource: selection field and notes on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei application page (accessed October 7, 2026) |
| Manufacturer | The gift provider is 株式会社ナレッジシェア. Whether it is the manufacturer, processor, or seller, and its address: Not confirmedSource: gift-provider field on the application page |
| Shop | Betsukai Town, Hokkaido (Rakuten Furusato Nozei) |
Donation amounts may differ by application site and may change. Please check the current donation amount and availability at the link above.
Ingredients and Allergen Labeling
The raw-material beef tongue is labeled as imported; what is done in Japan is the processing in Betsukai Town (soaking in the marinade, and so on). What is stated as from Betsukai Town is the milk used for soaking. There are three marinades, and the ingredient field is divided by type.
| Type | Ingredient field |
|---|---|
| Yamitsuki Salt Marinade (やみつき塩ダレ) | Beef tongue (Mexico, EU, UK, New Zealand, Australia), milk from Betsukai Town, starch syrup (made in Japan), salt, hydrolyzed protein, sesame oil, garlic, spices / alcohol, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), thickening polysaccharides, acidulant, vitamin B1, trehalose, enzyme, (Contains in part: beef, milk, sesame, wheat, soybeans) |
| Koku-Uma Soy Sauce Marinade (コク旨醤油ダレ) | Beef tongue (Mexico, EU, UK, New Zealand, Australia), milk from Betsukai Town, soy sauce (made in Japan), hon-mirin, fermented seasoning, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper / alcohol, trehalose, thickener (guar gum), enzyme, (Contains in part: beef, milk, sesame, wheat, soybeans) |
| Rich Tokugawa Miso Marinade (濃厚徳川味噌ダレ) | Beef tongue (Mexico, EU, UK, New Zealand, Australia), milk from Betsukai Town, Tokugawa miso (rice miso), hon-mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, bonito extract, bone broth, rice koji, ginger, yeast extract / sorbitol, alcohol, annatto color, seasoning (amino acids, etc.), thickening polysaccharides, trehalose, enzyme, (Contains in part: beef, milk, sesame, wheat, soybeans, chicken) |
Source: ingredient field on the application page (accessed October 7, 2026)
The allergen field lists milk, wheat, beef, soybeans, sesame, and chicken. Comparing it with the parenthetical note for each marinade, chicken is listed only for the Rich Tokugawa Miso Marinade, and we found no discrepancy between the field and the parenthetical notes. Because the ingredients include milk from Betsukai Town and the allergen field also lists milk, if you have a milk or dairy allergy, please contact the provider before applying or check the label on the product when it arrives.
Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling” (accessed October 7, 2026)
Five Things to Check Before You Donate
| What to Check | For This Gift | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Amount and Number of Servings | From 400g (1 pack) to 2.4kg (2 boxes). You also choose the thickness (thick-cut or thin-cut) and flavor (Yamitsuki Salt, Koku-Uma Soy Sauce, Rich Miso, or 3-flavor tasting set). Net weight of the beef tongue alone and number of servings: Not confirmed | Product description and selection field on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei application page |
| 2. Storage Method and Shelf Life | Frozen. The best-before date is stated as one year from manufacture. Thawing method and how long it keeps after thawing: Not confirmed | Product description on the application page |
| 3. Ingredients and Allergen Labeling | The beef tongue is from Mexico, the EU, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia; what is from Betsukai Town is the milk used for soaking. The allergen field lists milk, wheat, beef, soybeans, sesame, and chicken (chicken only in the miso marinade) | Ingredient and allergen fields on the application page |
| 4. Suitable as a Gift | Noshi, wrapping, and message cards: Not confirmed. Specifying a delivery date is not possible | Application page (no entries in the noshi, wrapping, or message card fields) |
| 5. Review Trends | Rakuten Ichiba’s rating is 4.55 out of 5 (4,679 reviews). We read 59 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted October 2025–October 2026, latest October 2026), 30 ★1 reviews (posted January–September 2026), and 30 ★2 reviews (posted January–September 2026). These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current state. Many comments mention tenderness and thickness, while ★1 and ★2 reviews often mention toughness, strong seasoning, and the beef tongue being imported | Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 7, 2026) |
Suitable as a Gift?
We found no mention on the application page of whether noshi (gift wrapping label) is available or its inscription types, wrapping or gift box, message cards, or name printing (Source: Rakuten Furusato Nozei application page, accessed October 7, 2026).
- Noshi: whether it is supported and the inscription types: Not confirmed
- Wrapping / gift box: Not confirmed
- Message card / name printing: Not confirmed
- Shipping: the page states it is shipped frozen and that specifying a delivery date is not possible. It also states that delivery is not possible to some areas such as Okinawa Prefecture and remote islands
The application page advises that you make sure to receive the thank-you gift. It also states that items returned or spoiled because of the donor’s circumstances, such as a long absence, cannot be resent, and that cancelling a donation application and changing or returning the thank-you gift are not possible. If you plan to use it as a gift, please check how noshi and wrapping are handled on the application page before applying.
What Public Reviews Say
We organized the product reviews on Rakuten Ichiba by point. The rating figures are as of the time we accessed them and may change afterward. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current state.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.55 / 5 | 4,679 | October 7, 2026 |
Breakdown: ★5 3,265 / ★4 1,052 / ★3 151 / ★2 71 / ★1 140 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba; accessed October 7, 2026)
What we read: the first 59 reviews in the default order (posted October 2025–October 2026, latest October 2026), plus 30 reviews filtered to ★1 (out of 140; posted January–September 2026) and 30 reviews filtered to ★2 (out of 71; posted January–September 2026), 119 in total. We read only some of the ★1 and ★2 reviews, so this does not represent the overall proportions.
Overall, ★5 accounts for about 70% (3,265 of 4,679 reviews), and ★1 and ★2 together total 211 (about 4.5%). The 59 reviews in the default order were only ★4 and ★5. The review section also includes posts about options not on the current application page (such as the Korokoro 250g type). Posts that appear to have been written before eating, and posts that only discuss shipping or the shop’s response, are excluded from the counts. All counts are approximate figures from the posts we read.
What Reviewers Praise
Tenderness
About 28 of the 59 reviews in the default order said it is easy to bite through even when thick-cut, or that it is tender (all posted in the last two years).
Thickness and satisfying bite
About 15 of the 59 reviews in the default order said it has good thickness or a satisfying bite.
Pre-seasoned, just grill it
About 12 of the 59 reviews in the default order said it is pre-seasoned so you only need to grill it, and that it goes well with rice or alcohol.
Tasting comparison
About 8 of the 59 reviews in the default order said the 3-flavor tasting set let them enjoy the differences in flavor and did not get boring.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 7, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
The counts here are out of the 60 reviews we read after filtering to ★1 and ★2. They are not proportions of all 4,679 reviews.
Toughness; hard to bite through
About 18 of the 60 ★1 and ★2 reviews (all posted in the last two years) said it was tough, could not be bitten through, or that the thickness of the thin-cut slices varied. About 3 of the 59 reviews in the default order also mention this. On the other hand, about 28 of those 59 said it was tender, so opinions are divided.
How to check: the thickness and cut are summarized in the “What Changes by Selection” and “Cut” rows of this article’s “Basic Information.”
Strong seasoning; burns easily
About 15 of the 60 ★1 and ★2 reviews (all posted in the last two years) said the flavor was strong, salty, or that because it is pre-seasoned it burns easily when grilled.
How to check: the flavor types are summarized in the “What Changes by Selection” row of this article’s “Basic Information” and in the ingredient table under “Ingredients and Allergen Labeling.”
Learning the raw material is imported
About 5 of the 60 ★1 and ★2 reviews (all posted in the last two years) said they learned only after it arrived that the beef tongue is imported, or that they had not expected milk to be used. About 2 of the 59 reviews in the default order also mention this.
How to check: the raw material origin is described in this article’s lead, in the “Raw Material Origin” row of “Basic Information,” and in the “Ingredients and Allergen Labeling” section.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (accessed October 7, 2026)
Who It Suits / Who Should Be Careful
Who It Suits
- Want to choose between thick-cut (about 8mm) and thin-cut (about 3mm) by thickness and flavor and compare them
- Want to choose the amount in 400g packs
- Are fine with a thank-you gift that arrives frozen
- Can choose it understanding that the raw-material beef tongue is imported and that what is from Betsukai Town is the milk
Who Should Be Careful
- Have a milk or dairy allergy (the allergen field lists milk)
- Want domestically produced beef tongue (the raw material is labeled as imported)
- Are concerned about the toughness of the meat or strong seasoning (often pointed out in the ★1 and ★2 reviews we read)
- Want to give it with noshi, wrapping, or a message card (not confirmed)
- Want to know the net weight of the beef tongue alone or the number of servings before deciding (not stated)
- Want to know the thawing method before deciding (not stated)
Donation amounts, availability, and shipping times change. This article’s information-as-of date is October 7, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before applying.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
Summary
- You choose the thickness (thick-cut or thin-cut), flavor, quantity (400g–2.4kg), and shipping time. It is stored frozen, and the best-before date is stated as one year from manufacture. The net weight of the beef tongue alone, the number of servings, and the thawing method are not confirmed
- The raw-material beef tongue is imported (Mexico, EU, UK, New Zealand, Australia), and what is from Betsukai Town is the milk used for soaking. The allergen field lists milk, and noshi, wrapping, and message cards are not confirmed
- In the 59 reviews in the default order, many mention tenderness (about 28) and thickness (about 15); in the 60 ★1 and ★2 reviews we read, posts about toughness (about 18) and strong seasoning (about 15) stand out
Related Pages
This article summarizes information published on the furusato nozei application page and review sites. Information about the thank-you gift, such as quantity, storage method, and ingredients, may change. Please check the application page for the latest information.
Evaluations of taste and quality are summaries of third-party posts with sources noted, and are not Ochinity’s own evaluations. Our approach to creating articles is described in our Editorial Policy.
Information as of: October 7, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Furusato Nozei “Betsukai Town, Hokkaido” application page, Rakuten customer reviews (“Minna no Review”), Consumer Affairs Agency “About Allergen Labeling”
![Product photo of thin slices of Omi beef for sukiyaki spread across a black plate with green leaves as a garnish (配送月が選べる 近江牛 すき焼き [Omi beef sukiyaki with a choice of delivery month]). Text the shop placed in the image: “定期便 容量も選べる” (subscription plans, size also selectable), “近江牛” (Omi beef), “すき焼き用” (for sukiyaki), “450g~470g”](https://ochinity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/eye-furusato-10000946-en-300x158.webp)
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