Food & Drink
Wagyu
和牛わぎゅうwagyūFour native breeds and the art of marbling
Wagyu, literally 'Japanese cattle', refers to four native beef breeds, above all the Japanese Black, known for intensely marbled meat. The beef is graded for yield and quality, with A5 as the highest grade, and sold under regional brands such as Kobe, Matsusaka and Omi.
For more than a thousand years cattle in Japan were draught animals, used for ploughing and hauling, and eating beef was uncommon because of Buddhist and Shinto taboos. After the Meiji Restoration beef became a symbol of modernity. Native cattle were crossed with imported European breeds in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the resulting lines were later fixed and recognised as distinct Japanese breeds.
What distinguishes wagyu, especially the Japanese Black, is a genetic tendency to store fat within the muscle as fine intramuscular marbling (sashi). Long feeding periods, pedigree records and careful selection of sires have made its rich, tender meat one of Japan's best-known agricultural products.
The four breeds
Legally, only the four Japanese breeds and crosses between them may be sold in Japan as wagyu. The Japanese Black accounts for the great majority of wagyu raised. Beef from other cattle born and raised in Japan, such as dairy Holsteins, is sold as kokusan-gyū, domestic beef, not as wagyu.
Japanese Black
黒毛和種kuroge washuThe dominant breed, with the finest marbling; source of nearly all premium brands.
- 褐毛和種akage washu
Red-brown cattle from Kumamoto and Kochi, leaner, with a lighter flavour.
- 日本短角種nihon tankaku-shu
Hardy cattle of northern Tohoku, grazed on mountain pastures; lean, red meat.
- 無角和種mukaku washu
Hornless breed from Yamaguchi Prefecture, now very rare.
Grading
The Japan Meat Grading Association grades carcasses on two scales. The letter A, B or C describes the yield, the proportion of usable meat. The number 1 to 5 describes meat quality, based on marbling, colour and brightness of the meat, firmness and texture, and colour and quality of the fat. The lowest of these four scores determines the final number, so A5 is the highest combined grade.
Marbling itself is measured on the Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) from 1 to 12; A5 requires a BMS of 8 or more. Grades describe the carcass, not taste directly, and many cooks consider slightly less marbled beef better for steaks.
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A, B, C | Yield: share of usable meat, A being highest |
| 5 | Excellent quality (BMS 8–12) |
| 4 | Good quality (BMS 5–7) |
| 3 | Average quality (BMS 3–4) |
| 2, 1 | Below average, poor |
Regional brands
Wagyu is marketed under hundreds of regional brands, each with its own rules on bloodline, place of raising and grade. Many of the most famous descend from Tajima cattle, a Japanese Black line from northern Hyogo Prefecture. Calves are often born in one prefecture and fattened in another, and brand rules usually refer to where they are finished.
- 神戸ビーフKōbe bīfu
Certified meat from Tajima cattle born and raised in Hyogo Prefecture that meet strict grade and marbling rules.
- 松阪牛Matsusaka-ushi
From heifers fattened in the Matsusaka area of Mie Prefecture, famed for its fine fat.
- 近江牛Ōmi-ushi
Beef from Shiga Prefecture with one of the longest histories of any brand, once sent as a gift to the shogun's court.
- 米沢牛Yonezawa-gyū
Beef from the Okitama basin of Yamagata Prefecture.
- 飛騨牛Hida-gyū
Gifu Prefecture's brand, often eaten grilled on magnolia leaves with miso (hōba miso) in Takayama.
- 宮崎牛・鹿児島黒牛Miyazaki-gyū, Kagoshima kuro-ushi
Southern Kyushu is Japan's largest wagyu-raising area; both brands have won top prizes at the national wagyu show.
How wagyu is eaten
Highly marbled wagyu is rich, and in Japan it is typically eaten in small portions, thinly sliced or in small cubes. Its fat melts at a low temperature, which suits quick cooking methods.
Sukiyaki
すき焼きsukiyakiThin beef cooked at the table in a shallow iron pan with soy sauce and sugar, then dipped in raw egg. Kanto cooks use a prepared sauce (warishita), Kansai cooks sear the meat with sugar and soy sauce directly.
Shabu-shabu
しゃぶしゃぶshabu-shabuPaper-thin slices swished briefly in simmering kombu broth and dipped in sesame or ponzu sauce.
Yakiniku
焼肉yakinikuBite-sized cuts grilled by diners over charcoal or gas, a style with Korean roots.
Teppanyaki
鉄板焼きteppanyakiSteak cooked by a chef on an iron griddle in front of the guests.
Gyu-sashi and aburi
炙りaburiLightly seared slices, sometimes served on sushi rice.
Timeline
675
An imperial edict restricts eating cattle and other animals, reinforcing a long taboo on beef.
Edo period
Beef from Omi (Shiga) is preserved in miso and sent as 'medicine' to the shogun's court.
1868 onwards
Meiji modernisation promotes eating beef; beef hot-pot shops open in Tokyo and Yokohama.
c. 1900–1910s
Native cattle are crossbred with imported European breeds.
1940s–1950s
Japanese Black, Brown, Polled and Shorthorn are recognised as distinct breeds.
1991
Liberalisation of beef imports pushes Japanese producers further towards premium, highly marbled wagyu.
Frequently asked questions
What does A5 wagyu mean?
A is the highest yield grade (share of usable meat) and 5 the highest quality grade, based on marbling, meat colour, texture and fat quality. A5 is the top combined grade awarded by the Japan Meat Grading Association.
Is all wagyu Kobe beef?
No. Kobe beef is one brand of wagyu, restricted to certified Tajima cattle raised in Hyogo Prefecture and meeting strict quality rules. There are hundreds of other regional brands.
Is wagyu raised outside Japan real wagyu?
Cattle of Japanese breed descent are raised in Australia, the United States and elsewhere and sold as wagyu, often crossed with other breeds. In Japan the term refers to the four Japanese breeds raised there.
Why is wagyu so marbled?
The Japanese Black breed has a genetic tendency to deposit fat inside the muscle. Long fattening periods, feeding regimes and decades of selection for marbling reinforce it.
Related
Sources
- 1.Japanese Beef (Wagyu) (opens in a new tab) — Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council
- 2.神戸肉流通推進協議会 (opens in a new tab) — Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association
- 3.公益社団法人 日本食肉格付協会 (opens in a new tab) — Japan Meat Grading Association