Zao Cheese

Zao Dairy Center is located on Nanokahara Plateau in Togatta Onsen, Zao-machi, Katta-gun, Miyagi Prefecture. On the ranch — about 100 hectares, equivalent to about 20 Tokyo Domes — scenes of cows freely grazing spread. Pure water and air, cool climate, rich grasslands — Zao Cheese is born from an environment that's the bounty of this great nature itself.

Its history begins with the "Dairy Electrification Center Foundation" established in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1960. Starting to aim for rationalization through mechanization and electrification of dairy management, the center relocated to Zao-machi, Miyagi Prefecture in 1964 — and opened an experimental farm based on grassland dairy farming. Eventually renamed to "Zao Dairy Center Foundation," the center searched for a new form of dairy combining grassland dairy and dairy product processing.

In the late 1970s, an experimental natural cheese manufacturing factory was built — beginning manufacturing of cheeses like cream cheese, Edam, and Gouda. As a pioneer of natural cheese making in Japan, the center worked on establishing and disseminating manufacturing techniques. Still today, through "Domestic Natural Cheese Manufacturing Technology Training Sessions" and dairy helper training, the center is a place of human resource development supporting the domestic dairy and cheese industry.

Meanwhile, Zao Dairy Center has also cherished being "a place where visitors can enjoy with all five senses." At the petting farm "Zao Heartland," visitors can interact with cows, sheep, and goats and experience milking, and handmade experiences like butter, cheese, and ice cream making are also provided. Around the cheese factory, the directly managed store "Cheese Cabin," cheese restaurants "Cheese House" and "Cheese Shed," bakery, cafe, BBQ house, and rose garden are scattered — letting you taste the appeal of Zao Cheese and the ranch throughout the day.

At the online shop, the center delivers Zao Cheese's world nationwide — signature product "Zao Cream Cheese," creamy spreads, snack cheeses, cooking cheeses, sweets like cheesecake, and gift sets. While preserving cheese making starting from Zao's great nature and dairy farming, as a "cheese comprehensive base" combining research, education, tourism, and EC — the center will continue to spread the deliciousness and joy of natural cheese to Japanese dining tables.

Cheese making starting from Zao mountains' great nature and dairy farming

Zao Cheese's cheese making starts from dairy farming. Using quality raw milk from dairy cows that grow eating grass nurtured by the Zao mountains' rich nature and drinking natural spring water. Freshly milked milk is finished into natural cheese with the Zao Dairy Center's ranch and cheese factory united.

A product lineup expanding from cream cheese to aged cheese to sweets

Starting with "Zao Cream Cheese" — receiving the gold award at the Natural Cheese Contest — creamy spreads combined with garlic, herbs, and fruits; cooking cheeses like Gouda and Cheddar; snack cheeses; and sweets like cheesecake and chocolate cheesecake — Zao Cheese's unique dairy products are abundantly gathered.

A "cheese theme park" with factory, direct store, restaurant, and ranch all together

Within the grounds — diverse facilities scattered: the directly managed store "Cheese Cabin" adjacent to the cheese factory; "Cheese Shed" and "Cheese House" where you can taste cheese fondue and raclonet; petting farm "Zao Heartland"; BBQ house "Wind Deck"; rose garden; and training/lodging facility "Zao Kogen-so." In Zao's great nature, you can enjoy cheese through all of seeing, eating, and experiencing.

Role as a research and dissemination base for domestic natural cheese

Zao Dairy Center, established in 1960, has worked on manufacturing and research of domestic natural cheese from early on — leading the development and technical dissemination of cream cheese, mozzarella, blue cheese, and more. Still today, through holding "Domestic Natural Cheese Manufacturing Technology Training Sessions" and symposiums, the center works on training cheese craftspeople and dairy farmers, and disseminating cheese culture.