Starting June 1, 2026, the Achi Village Gibier Processing Facility Management Association in Nagano Prefecture will begin selling a new pet deer jerky product called "ACHI GIBIER" (阿智ジビエ).
Wild animals have long caused significant damage to farming and forestry operations in Achi Village, contributing to a decline in agricultural motivation. To address this, the village has been promoting the capture of wildlife and finding effective uses for the deer obtained, including selling venison for human consumption and as pet food. However, certain cuts of meat have proven difficult to sell and have ended up being discarded.
The new "ACHI GIBIER" jerky product — dried deer meat specifically formulated for pets — aims to reduce waste by utilizing previously discarded cuts, while supporting the local gibier industry and ultimately contributing to agricultural and forestry recovery through greater wildlife management.
ACHI GIBIER Pet Deer Jerky
Contents
50g
Price
¥1,300 (tax included)
Ingredients
Japanese deer (Nihon Jika)
Country of Origin
Japan (produced in Achi Village, Nagano Prefecture)
Manufacturer
Achi Village Gibier Processing Facility Management Association
628-1 Chisato, Achi Village, Shimoina-gun, Nagano Prefecture 395-0304
Where to Buy
- ACHI BASE tourist facility shop — 338-25 Chisato, Achi Village, Shimoina-gun, Nagano 395-0304
- SHOP & CAFÉ & about HIRUGAMI Hirugami Kiosk — 347-1 Chisato, Achi Village, Shimoina-gun, Nagano 395-0304
Additional retail locations are planned.
The ACHI GIBIER Brand
The name "ACHI GIBIER" directly combines the place name with the French word for wild game — a straightforward naming approach that foregrounds the product's regional identity. The logo draws on Achi Village's signature elements: a sky full of stars, rolling mountain ridges, and a deer standing strong. The design expresses both the vitality of wildlife living in nature and the rich, beautiful environment of this area in a simple yet striking way.
The restrained, unadorned visual style reflects confidence in the raw ingredient itself — a product philosophy rooted in delivering the life nurtured by Achi's natural environment with minimal human intervention.
About Achi Village
Located at the southern tip of Nagano Prefecture, Achi Village is a quiet mountain community known for Hirugami Onsen and the Hanamomo no Sato (flowering peach village). The hot spring, which first flowed in 1973, is an alkaline simple sulfur spring (pH 9.7) with a smooth, silky texture — often described as bathing in warm lotion — earning it a reputation as a "skin-beautifying bath."
The village is also recognized for its exceptional night skies. In a nationwide stargazing survey conducted by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, Achi Village was ranked first (2006) as the location "most suitable for star observation," earning the title of Japan's Best Starry Sky. Building on this recognition, the Star Village Achi Tourism Promotion Council was established in 2012 to leverage the starry skies for regional revitalization and tourism.
In August 2012, the "Night Tour at the Paradise in the Sky — Japan's Best Starry Sky" event launched, followed by the "Sea of Clouds & Starry Sky — Sea of Clouds Harbor at the Paradise in the Sky" event in October 2014. By the end of March 2025, the cumulative number of event visitors had exceeded 1.2 million.
