Andrew Hallas
I have had the pleasure of attending two agricultural tours in Japan with Yuta Abe as our guide—first with the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA), and second on a trip I personally organised with clients. Yuta’s expertise in Japanese farming practices, particularly Wagyu cattle production, is outstanding. He brings a deep understanding of the industry, and his ability to highlight the nuances of Wagyu—right in its homeland—is second to none.
Yuta’s tours are thoughtfully balanced, weaving together agricultural insights with sightseeing, Japanese culture, local attractions, and authentic cuisine. Each itinerary is crafted to ensure every participant gets both an educational and cultural experience. Japanese BBQ, in particular, is always a highlight—delicious and memorable!
Yuta’s fluency in English and his skill as a translator make the tours accessible and enjoyable for international guests. If you are planning an agricultural trip to Japan, I can highly recommend Yuta Abe for his professionalism, knowledge, and the genuine enthusiasm he brings to every tour.
— Andrew Hallas, Zoetis Australia
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Matt McDonagh
“Yuta Abe has outstanding connections to the primary industries within Japan and has been pivotal to the Australian Wagyu Association’s successful farm tours all over Japan. Yuta’s organisation, communication and translation services are exceptional and make touring in Japan very straight forward. Yuta understands the farm, food and fun aspects of international tours in Japan and provides the perfect mix of culture and entertainment to ensure everyone has a wonderful experience”.
– Matt McDonagh, Australian Wagyu Association
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Bay Maddocks
I had an incredible experience on a private Wagyu tour in Hokkaido in 2024 with Yuta. Coming from a Wagyu farm myself, I was especially interested to learn more about how Wagyu is raised in Japan, and this tour exceeded all expectations. Yuta picked us up from the airport and spent the entire day with us, taking us to several different farms where we met local farmers who explained their farming practices. For those who didn’t speak English, Yuta translated everything for us, which made the experience even more valuable and insightful.
His English was perfect, and his knowledge of Japanese Wagyu production and the local area was exceptional. In between farm visits, he also introduced us to some amazing local specialties, which added a really authentic touch to the day. Yuta was incredibly kind, accommodating, and flexible with timings, making sure everything suited our schedule. He even took us back to the airport at the end.
From start to finish, everything was seamless and thoughtfully organized. I couldn’t recommend Yuta highly enough to anyone wanting a genuine, in-depth Wagyu experience in Hokkaido.
– Bay Maddocks, Shropshire UK
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Kevin Brennan
Yuta Abe organised a private tour for my wife and I. Yuta was able to design an itinerary based on conversations with us and our stated interests. The tour was excellent. Yuta gained access to all stages of the wagyu production chain, this allowed us to visit producers, feedlots, processors and restaurants that would have been otherwise unavailable to us.
Yuta has excellent English language skills and as such is able to impart local knowledge and interpret conversations we had with wagyu experts.
He has a passion for agriculture and high-quality food and produce, we enjoyed his company and found him an excellent host.
-Kevin Brennan, Tarella Australia
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Shannon Maas
Yuta Abe is hands down the best guide I’ve ever had in my life. He can navigate every corner of the island flawlessly, and might know every single person within a 300 mile radius. He’s professional, courteous, very knowledgeable, extremely well connected and an absolute joy to spend time with. You’re not touring with a guide, you’re gaining a new friend.
I’ve been on 3 separate tours with Yuta ranging from a few days to a couple weeks. He was so good, I brought my boss on a trip with me. The experiences he’s provided have been absolutely magical. I’ve fly fished the bountiful rivers, soaked in the moor hot springs at hotels, we’ve researched everything from honey-berries, kombu, 2 year aged potatoes, horseradish, and wasabi together. Each tour he has shown an extreme depth of knowledge and is impeccable in his translation. It’d be hard to survive a day without him there to be honest.
My experiences with Yuta have been the best in my life. Without question. He’s such an awesome person. And he does EVERYTHING. Please, if you have the opportunity to hire this gentleman, do it. He will alter your experience into an absolutely life changing one.
– Shannon Maas, California USA
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We were introduced to Yuta Abe by a mutual contact and asked him to arrange a tour of cattle farms on Hokkaido. We had a wonderful time visiting the farmers and seeing a part of Japan we didn’t know much about.
Yuta arranged a really interesting group of farms and farmers for us to visit and we thoroughly enjoyed our conversations with everyone. There was something new to learn or discover at each place.
We also enjoyed non-farm things we did- meeting Yuta’s family; our conversations in the car as we travelled to and between farms; eating wagyu, Japanese foods, locally made ice cream; and seeing the countryside.
Yuta was easy to deal with and very knowledgeable, helpful and practical in discussing our options for a custom experience. He arranged our accommodation and advised us regarding travel options. Everything was well chosen and all went smoothly.
We’ll definitely go back and explore more of Hokkaido another time, and highly recommend Yuta Abe as your guide and interpreter.
Russell and Vicki Finch, cattle farmers, Victoria, Australia
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Our Nutrien Ag Solutions Study Tour of Japan in 2026 was exceptional, thanks entirely to Yuta. He came highly recommended by other major agricultural and animal health companies, and he exceeded every expectation from the moment we landed to the moment we flew home.
Yuta managed every detail—transfers, bookings, translations, farm visits, cultural experiences—with absolute professionalism. His organisation meant our team could focus on learning, connecting, and enjoying the experience without a single worry.
The agricultural tour he curated was world‑class. We visited leading Wagyu breeding and finishing operations, innovative dairy farms, and family‑run properties that welcomed us with genuine hospitality. Sharing meals, stories, and even snowball fights with local families was a highlight none of us will forget.
Yuta also ensured we experienced the best of Japan’s culture—from Sapporo’s beer museum and traditional restaurants to skiing, snowmobiling, and exploring Tokyo’s iconic markets and landmarks.
This trip truly felt like a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience, made possible by Yuta’s deep knowledge, meticulous planning, and warm, generous approach. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Ben Coutts – Nutrien Ag, Australia
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I visited Japan in March 2026, and I specifically wanted to see Wagyu farming at scale. Yuta created a full three day itinerary of visits in Hokkaido. Hokkaido is really the centre of Wagyu production in Japan, where you can see a variety of farms that are farming at scale.
Yuta organized a brilliant range of farm visits, where I was able to see Wagyu at various stages of production. It was clear that Yuta has a very good relationship with the farmers that hosted us. Yuta helped me to communicate with the farmers and I was able to gather a lot of information about how they are running their businesses.
I would highly recommend Yuta – he is very friendly, organized, an excellent communicator and very well connected in Japanese Agriculture.
Jane Oosterhof – Scotland, UK
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“It is with the deepest gratitude that I recommend Mr. Yuta Abe for his exceptional interpreting services in Hokkaido. Mr. Abe went above and beyond every expectation.
Before our business meeting, we met over coffee where he helped me strategize with incredible precision. I was particularly impressed by his deep business expertise in a subject I did not expect him to be familiar with; his insights were invaluable to the success of my project.
Mr. Abe’s commitment to his clients is unparalleled. At the end of our 1st day, it was apparent that my project’s opportunity would extend into the next day. He graciously added an extra day to his schedule and stayed overnight locally just to ensure I had the support I needed. His professionalism and sincere dedication made a profound impact on my experience. I look forward to seeking his help again in the near future and cannot recommend him highly enough!”
Dave Manago – Colorado, USA
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