The Pork We'd Want Our Own Families to Eat: BestiesTokyo Launches Premium Chashu Rice Bowl Made with Naturally Raised Pork. Developed in Collaboration with 'Ramen Hanaikada,' a Popular Tokyo Ramen Shop in Kameari.

BestiesTokyo, operated by BestiesTokyo Co., Ltd. (Katsushika City, Tokyo; CEO: Kayami Hara), has begun offering a special chashu rice bowl made with antibiotic-free pork, developed in collaboration with 'Ramen Hanaikada,' a popular ramen shop in Kameari, Tokyo, known for its long queues. The dish features premium chashu crafted without relying on flavor enhancers.

A Chashu Rice Bowl Made with Antibiotic-Free Black Pork

Globally, the overuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria, a serious public health concern known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Europe, strict regulations have been imposed on the routine use of antibiotics in livestock.

BestiesTokyo addresses this issue through everyday food choices, selecting only pork raised without reliance on antibiotics.

Rather than rejecting antibiotics entirely, the company believes it's important to consider our daily food choices to help ensure that antibiotics remain effective when truly needed.

To bring this vision to life, BestiesTokyo partnered with 'Ramen Hanaikada' in Kameari, Tokyo, a renowned ramen shop famous for its lines of eager customers.

Hanaikada is celebrated for its ramen made without artificial flavor enhancers, emphasizing the natural umami of ingredients. By carefully layering chicken, pork, and seafood, the shop creates deeply flavorful bowls that have earned a loyal following among ramen enthusiasts.

Hanaikada's Salt Ramen

Kayami Hara, owner of BestiesTokyo, first visited the shop out of curiosity after learning about a ramen restaurant that avoids using flavor enhancers.

One of Hanaikada's signature menu items is chashu made with SP pork.

Deeply impressed by its taste, Hara began to wonder: "If we could have Hanaikada make chashu using the antibiotic-free pork we serve at BestiesTokyo, could we create a dish that truly reflects our values?"

With a 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' mindset, she approached the shop's manager.

Though initially nervous, she found the manager to be warm, sincere, and deeply committed to ingredients and flavor.

Kayami Hara with the Hanaikada manager in front of the shop

The manager expressed interest in BestiesTokyo's antibiotic-free pork, and agreed to create a special chashu using the shop's unique methods.

The result is a premium chashu that combines both parties' commitments: antibiotic-free pork and a preparation method that avoids flavor enhancers. Of course, no artificial additives or preservatives are used.

At BestiesTokyo, this chashu is generously served over premium fermented brown rice, topped with a free-range egg, and offered as a rice bowl.

'Gentle on the body' and 'delicious' don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Moving forward, BestiesTokyo will continue to inspire conversations about human and canine health, and the future of food, through its culinary offerings.

Profile of Kayami Hara, CEO of BestiesTokyo Co., Ltd.

After losing her husband in an accident, Hara raised her daughter as a single working mother. She often struggled to take time off work, and recalls repeatedly pleading at hospitals: 'My child needs to get better by tomorrow.'

At the time, she was overwhelmed by work and parenting, and never questioned the medications prescribed by doctors.

Later, when a physician told her, 'The available treatment options for your child are becoming limited,' it became a pivotal moment. When she later learned about the global AMR crisis, she deeply understood, on a personal level, the terrifying implications of a world where antibiotics no longer work.

She also experienced her own health crisis due to a hectic lifestyle and poor diet, reaching a point where medical professionals recommended long-term medication.

This experience prompted her to reevaluate the importance of food.

At age 50, despite having no prior experience in the food industry, she launched her own venture. Discovering enzyme brown rice led her to deepen her knowledge of food and health, and she became increasingly aware of issues surrounding drug use in factory farming and the global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

By changing her diet, she dramatically improved her health, feeling better at age 60 than ever before, and successfully lost 7kg without rebounding.

Today, driven by her desire to 'leave a world where medicine still works for future generations,' she focuses on creating meals that are both 'gentle on the body' and 'truly delicious.'

At BestiesTokyo, in addition to dishes made with soy-based meat alternatives and plant-based ingredients, she adheres to the philosophy that 'when we do eat meat, it should be as natural as possible,' offering pasture-raised beef, free-range chicken, and pork raised with care.

People and dogs alike—our future is shaped by what we eat.

Guided by this belief, she is building a community in Tokyo that nurtures the hearts and bodies of both people and dogs.

CEO Kayami Hara with the shop's mascot dog, Tsumugi

【For Media Inquiries】

BestiesTokyo Co., Ltd. Contact: Kayami Hara (03-6683-8923) Business Hours: 9:00–21:00 E-mail: bestiestokyo@gmail.com