Tan

The tongue, said to be yielded in only around 2kg per animal — an unusually structured cut where the base is fattier and soft, and the meat firms up gradually toward the tip. Base and tip differ even in color, making this cut said to span the widest range of texture found in any single part. Only one tongue comes from each animal, and the portion usable for food is said to be smaller still.

Thin-sliced and salt-grilled as "gyutan-jio" is the best-known style. Removing the tough outer skin takes careful prep, and the thicker base portion is cut thick and grilled for a firm, springy bite. The thinner portion near the tip cooks up tender easily, and is often prepared separately from the base. A gyutan set meal served with barley rice and oxtail soup is said to be the standard combination shared across many specialty restaurants.

The style of thin-slicing and slow salt-grilling gyutan is said to have spread through Sendai's specialty restaurants, and today the tongue is closely tied to the city — enough that many think of the two together. Yielding so little per animal is also said to have reinforced its status as a special cut, handled at dedicated shops. Served with the smoke still rising from the grill, a gyutan set meal is said to have become something of a special dish sought out while traveling.