“Hanamaki” (花巻市) in the name of this thank-you gift is the municipality that accepts the donation; it is not where the raw-material beef tongue comes from. The ingredients field lists beef tongue (from Ireland or Uruguay or other), and the listing states that imported beef is used. As for processing done in Japan, the listing says that seasoning and packaging, among other steps, are done at a factory within the municipality. This article covers the frozen thick-cut beef tongue (salt-flavored) on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing (a portal for furusato nozei, the hometown tax donation program), where you choose the amount (500g, 1kg, or a 3-month subscription of 1kg). We organized five points to check before you choose: amount, shelf life, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews.
What We Confirmed
- Amount 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 listing. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
| Product name | Thick-cut salt-flavored beef tongue, choose your amount: 500g / 1kg / subscription (Hanamaki, Iwate, furusato nozei)The product name shown on the Rakuten listing is longer than this. Only the product-name part is shown here. |
|---|---|
| Name | Seasoned sliced beef tongue (unheated)Source: gift details field of the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Amount | Choose from 500g (500g × 1 pack), 1kg (500g × 2 packs), or a 3-month subscription of 1kg (500g × 2 packs). The number of servings is not stated, so it is not confirmedSource: same as above |
| What changes depending on your choice | Three things: the amount, the shipping time, and whether it is a subscription. The 1kg option has several shipping-time choices (see the “Shipping time” row below). The listing states a thickness of about 10mm (the shop’s statement). The combinations in the option field may change on the listingSource: option field and product description on the listing (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Processing specification | The listing says the processing specification was changed in July 2026, and you receive either the previous “ダイヤモンドカット” (diamond cut) specification or the new “一方向スリット加工” (one-direction slit) specification, depending on the production time. It says you cannot choose the specification during the changeover period. The ingredient names differ by specification (see “Ingredients and Allergen Labeling” below). The listing says there is no difference in quality between the two, but this is the shop’s statement and not a fact Ochinity has verifiedSource: product description on the listing (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Donation amount | It differs by the amount and shipping time you choose. This article does not state the amounts, so please check the option field on the listing before you applySource: option field on the listing (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Storage | Frozen. The listing says to keep it frozen and store it at −15°C or belowSource: gift details field on the listing |
| Best-before date | 365 days from the date of manufactureSource: gift details field on the listing |
| Thawing method | Not confirmed (no specific steps are described) |
| After opening | Not confirmed (no information was found on how long it keeps after thawing or opening) |
| Country of origin | Beef tongue (imported). The ingredients field reads “アイルランド産又はウルグアイ産又はその他” (from Ireland or Uruguay or other); the country for “other” is not stated, so it is not confirmed. The listing states that imported beef is used as the raw materialSource: gift details field on the listing |
| Place of processing | The value-added details field on the listing states that raw materials are procured from outside the municipality, and that peeling, slicing, slitting (cutting), seasoning, and packaging, among other steps, are done at a factory within it. The accepting municipality is Hanamaki, and the provider’s address is given as 花巻市北湯口 (Kitayuguchi, Hanamaki), but the factory’s own address is not stated, so it is not confirmedSource: product description and provider field on the listing |
| Cut (part of the tongue) | A guide image on the listing (a diagram of the cuts) says that only the tongue middle (tan-naka) and tongue base (tan-moto) are used, and that the tongue tip (tan-saki) has been removedSource: guide image within the listing (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Condition / how to eat (cooking required?) | It arrives as frozen seasoned meat. The name field says “未加熱” (unheated), and the shop’s catchphrase says to just thaw and grill it. No guidance was found on whether cooking is required or whether it can be eaten raw, so it is not confirmedSource: name field and the shop’s catchphrase on the listing |
| Delivery | Frozen. Delivery by Yamato Transport is indicated. The listing says that specifying a delivery date or day of the week is not accepted. It also says that frozen and chilled deliveries cannot be sent to Okinawa or remote islandsSource: gift details field and notes on the listing |
| Shipping time | 1kg: the option field showed shipping within 10 business days after payment confirmation (marked as speed delivery available), within 30 business days after payment confirmation, shipping in November (11月発送), and shipping in December (12月発送). 500g: ships within 60 days after payment confirmation, is not eligible for speed delivery, and may be delayed by about a week when there are many orders. 3-month subscription of 1kg: shipping starts the month after payment confirmation. How many separate deliveries there are is not stated, so it is not confirmed. Also, the main text of the product description has a passage giving October and November shipping as the available times for 1kg, which does not match the option field (as of October 7, 2026). The shipping-time display may changeSource: option field and product description on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Manufacturer | The provider is 株式会社ネクサス (Nexus Co., Ltd.). Whether it is the manufacturer, processor, or seller is not confirmedSource: provider field on the listing |
| Shop | Hanamaki, Iwate (Rakuten Furusato Nozei) |
Donation amounts may differ by portal and may change. Please check the latest donation amount and availability at the link above.
Regarding the cuts: apart from what the guide image on the listing shows, among the 60 reviews we read by filtering Rakuten customer reviews to 1★ and 2★ in newest-first order (posted February to October 2026; latest October 2026), there was one post saying it was all tongue tip and one post saying tan-shita (the underside of the tongue) was included. There is also one post saying hard and soft cuts were mixed (all posted in 2026). These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition. The listing’s guidance and the reviewers’ posts differ, and we cannot confirm from the listing which is the actual condition.
Ingredients and Allergen Labeling
The beef tongue raw material is labeled as imported. According to the listing, the work done in Japan consists of peeling, slicing, slitting, seasoning, and packaging, among other steps, at a factory within the municipality. The ingredient labels split into two after the processing specification change in July 2026.
| Specification | Ingredient label |
|---|---|
| Diamond cut specification | Beef tongue (from Ireland or Uruguay or other), shochu, salt, sugar, chicken bone soup stock, spices / seasoning (amino acids, etc.), pH adjuster, emulsifier, enzymes, (contains beef and chicken in part) |
| One-direction slit specification | Beef tongue (from Ireland or Uruguay or other), sugar, chicken bone soup stock, salt, yeast extract, dextrin, spices, indigestible dextrin / seasoning (amino acids, etc.), phosphate (Na), pH adjuster, emulsifier, antioxidant (vitamin C), enzymes, (contains beef and chicken in part) |
Source: gift details field on the listing (viewed October 7, 2026). The listing says that part of the ingredient names changed from July 2026. During the changeover period, you cannot choose which specification you receive.
For allergen labeling, the listing’s “allergy” field lists beef and chicken, which matches the parenthetical at the end of the ingredient label (contains beef and chicken in part), and we found no inconsistency. Both specifications carry the same labeling. Whether any specified ingredients other than these two are present cannot be confirmed from the listing.
If you are concerned about allergies, contact the provider before applying for the donation, 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 / servings | Choose from 500g (500g × 1), 1kg (500g × 2), or a 3-month subscription of 1kg. No serving count is given. Shipping times differ by amount | Gift details field and option field on the Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing |
| 2. Storage method and shelf life | Frozen (−15°C or below). Best-before date is 365 days from the date of manufacture. The thawing method and shelf life after thawing are not confirmed | Gift details field on the listing |
| 3. Ingredients / allergen labeling | The beef tongue is imported (the country for “other” is not confirmed). The ingredient label differs between the two processing specifications, and you cannot choose. Allergen labeling lists beef and chicken | Gift details field on the listing |
| 4. Suitable as a gift? | Noshi (gift wrapping label), wrapping, and message card information is not confirmed. The listing says delivery date and day-of-week specification are not possible | The listing (no entries in the noshi, wrapping, or message card fields; the notes say delivery date specification is not possible) |
| 5. Review trends | The rating on Rakuten Ichiba is 4.49/5 (13,778 reviews). We read the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted October 2025 to October 2026; latest October 2026), 30 1★ reviews (posted June to October 2026), and 30 2★ reviews (posted February to September 2026). The 30 reviews each for 1★ and 2★ were read in newest-first order and are concentrated in recent posts, so they do not represent the overall distribution. The following are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition. Many reviewers mention thickness and a satisfying bite, while among the 1★ and 2★ reviews, posts mentioning toughness and an unpleasant smell stand out | Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 7, 2026) |
Suitable as a Gift?
The listing had no information on whether noshi is available or the type of inscription, wrapping, or message cards (Source: Rakuten Furusato Nozei listing, viewed October 7, 2026).
- Noshi: whether it is available and the inscription types are not confirmed
- Wrapping / gift box: not confirmed
- Message card / name printing: not confirmed
- Delivery address: no information was found on whether it can be sent to an address other than the donor’s (not confirmed)
- Delivery: frozen, by Yamato Transport according to the listing. The listing says that specifying a delivery date or day of the week is not accepted. It also says delivery to Okinawa and remote islands is not possible
The listing says that if you will be away for a long period, you should enter the period of absence in the remarks field; that the gift will not be re-sent if the recipient cannot receive it for their own reasons; and that cancellations, changes, and returns of a donation application are not possible. If you plan to use it as a gift, check how noshi, wrapping, and the delivery address are handled on the listing before you apply.
What Public Reviews Say
We organized the Rakuten Ichiba product reviews by point. The rating figures are as of the time we viewed them and may change afterward. The following are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.49 / 5 | 13,778 | October 7, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 9,931 / 4★ 2,408 / 3★ 416 / 2★ 329 / 1★ 694 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed October 7, 2026)
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted October 2025 to October 2026; latest October 2026), 30 reviews filtered to 1★ (out of 694; posted June to October 2026), and 30 reviews filtered to 2★ (out of 329; posted February to September 2026), 120 in total. For 1★ and 2★ we read only a portion in newest-first order, so they are concentrated in recent posts. They do not represent the overall proportions.
Overall, 5★ accounts for about 72% (9,931 of 13,778), and 1★ and 2★ together total 1,023 (about 7%). The review section also includes posts about options that are not on the current listing (shipping-time choices such as “7営業日以内” (within 7 business days), “14営業日以内” (within 14 business days), and “2月発送” (February shipping)). Posts that seem to be from people who have not eaten it yet, and posts that only mention delivery or the shop’s handling, are excluded from the counts per point.
What Reviewers Praise
Thickness and a satisfying bite
About 40 of the 60 reviews in the default order were posts saying it is thick, satisfying to eat, or generous in volume (all posted within the last two years).
Thick yet tender
13 of the 60 reviews in the default order were posts saying it is thick yet tender or easy to bite through (11 were 5★ and 2 were 4★).
Pre-seasoned, just grill it
About 15 of the 60 reviews in the default order were posts saying it was already seasoned and could be eaten just by grilling, or that the saltiness was just right.
Portions and slits
About 8 of the 60 reviews in the default order were posts saying the 500g × 2 portions in vacuum packs make it easy to store, and about 8 were posts saying the slits make it easy to grill and eat.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 7, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
The counts here are for the 60 reviews we read after filtering to 1★ and 2★ in newest-first order. The 30 1★ reviews were posted June to October 2026 and the 30 2★ reviews February to September 2026, so they do not represent the distribution of all 1,023. The reason the posts are concentrated in recent months could not be checked in this article.
Toughness / hard to bite through
About 35 of the 60 1★ and 2★ reviews were posts saying it was hard, could not be bitten through, or was sinewy or rubbery (all posted within the last two years). Some posts say that children or elderly family members could not bite through it. On the other hand, 13 of the 60 reviews in the default order said it was thick yet tender, so opinions are divided.
How to check: the explanation of the cuts is summarized in the “Cut (part of the tongue)” row of “Basic Information” in this article and in the paragraph below it.
Unpleasant smell / odor
30 of the 60 1★ and 2★ reviews were posts saying the smell or odor bothered them (19 were 1★ and 11 were 2★; all posted within the last two years). Among the 60 reviews in the default order, 2 posts said they noticed a slight unpleasant smell and 2 posts said there was no unpleasant smell, so opinions are divided.
The raw material turned out to be imported
11 of the 60 1★ and 2★ reviews (7 were 1★ and 4 were 2★) were posts saying they were disappointed to learn after it arrived that the raw material is imported, or that it was not what they expected.
How to check: the country of origin of the raw material is stated in the lead paragraph of this article and in the “Country of origin” row of “Basic Information”.
In addition, about 14 of the 60 1★ and 2★ reviews were posts saying it had become harder or smellier than before, or that quality varies from pack to pack. These are individual posters’ comments, and whether the difference is due to the year cannot be confirmed from the listing.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 7, 2026)
Who It Suits / Who Should Be Careful
Who It Suits
- People who want to choose thick-cut beef tongue, about 10mm thick (the shop’s statement), pre-seasoned and frozen
- People who want to choose the amount in 500g packs (500g, 1kg, or a 3-month subscription of 1kg)
- People who are fine with a thank-you gift that arrives frozen
- People who can choose it while understanding that a delivery date cannot be specified
Who Should Be Careful
- People who want to confirm that the raw material is imported before deciding (the country for “other” is not confirmed)
- People who worry about toughness or an unpleasant smell in the meat (frequently pointed out in the 1★ and 2★ reviews we read)
- People who mind that they cannot choose the processing specification (two types with different ingredient labels)
- People concerned about allergies (beef and chicken are labeled; no guidance on whether cooking is required was found)
- People who want to give it as a gift with noshi, wrapping, or a message card (not confirmed)
- People who want to know the number of servings 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 you donate.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
Summary
- You choose the amount (500g, 1kg, or a 3-month subscription of 1kg) and the shipping time. It is stored frozen (−15°C or below), and the best-before date is stated as 365 days from the date of manufacture. The raw-material beef tongue is imported, and the country for “other” is not confirmed
- The thawing method, shelf life after thawing, whether cooking is required, and noshi, wrapping, and message cards are not confirmed. There are two processing specifications that cannot be chosen, with different ingredient labels. Allergen labeling lists beef and chicken
- Among the 60 reviews in the default order, many mention thickness and a satisfying bite, while among the 60 1★ and 2★ reviews we read, posts mentioning toughness (about 35) and an unpleasant smell (30) stand out. The 1★ and 2★ reviews are concentrated in recent posts
Related Pages
This article organizes information published on furusato nozei listings and review sites. Information about the thank-you gift, such as amount, storage method, and ingredients, may change. Please check the listing for the latest information.
Comments on taste or quality are summarized from third-party posts cited with their source, and are not Ochinity’s own evaluation. Our approach to writing articles is described in our Editorial Policy.
Information as of: October 7, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Furusato Nozei “岩手県花巻市” (Hanamaki, Iwate) listing, Rakuten customer reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “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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