About Japanese Wagyu

The Definition of Japanese Wagyu

Wagyu ("Japanese cow") designates any of the four Japanese breeds of beef cattle.The Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and the Japanese Polled are the four breeds of Japanese Wagyu. As they are based on Japan’s original cattle breeds, these livestock breeds have undergone multiple modifications and crossbreeds between these four breeds are also treated as Wagyu cattle. You can also find "wagyu" issued from other countries. As long as they are fattened in Japan for more than 3 months, foreign and imported cattle breeds can also be called Wagyu.

Quality Determined by Techniques and Care

The breeders, with their special techniques and thorough care, bring forth high-quality Japanese Wagyu. They have the cattle placed in well-ventilated cattle barns carpeted with sawdust. The cattle are fed with highly nutritive and safe cattle food mixed with hay, and the breeders care for them as one of their own children. By monitoring their health conditions and paying attention to details, the cattle is carefully cultivated. This is why Japanese Wagyu has tender, delicate and mellow taste.

The Marbling of Japanese Wagyu Guarantees Delicious Taste and Quality

The characteristics of Japanese Wagyu are that it is soft and succulent, and it has a delicate and mellow taste. The fat of the beef is the key factor attributing it’s taste, and the combination of beautiful marbled pattern and lean meat allow people to taste the delicious fat of Japanese Wagyu as it melts in their mouths. This is referred as the “Marbling” of the meat. Before Japanese Wagyu hits the shelves, the beef is put through inspection and categorized based on their color, tenderness and “marbling.” A5-graded Japanese Wagyu have the best quality. Japanese Wagyu can be identified with the “Beef Japan” tag. The tag indicates that the beef is authentic Japanese Wagyu, and can be used as an indicator when you are looking for delicious and high-quality Japanese Wagyu. The high protein and lower amounts of fat found in Japanese Wagyu lean meat have also become very popular recently among people emphasizing eating healthy.

Strict Management to ensure Safe Delivery

With the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, during the early 2000s and the foot-and-mouth disease during 2010, Japan has began to conduct thorough BSE inspections and removal of Specified Risk Materials (SRM). The degree of strictness in the inspections is second to none. In addition, each Japanese cattle is registered individually into the inventory at birth and are assigned individual identification codes. The tracking system that monitors the cattle through these codes is very complete and established. Japanese Wagyu that is sold in stores has an identification code on the packaging. Therefore, consumers can conveniently use the internet to check the breed, date of birth, and other pieces of information about the cattle breeder that produced this package of meat.

Charm of Japanese Wagyu

As you know, Japanese Wagyu beef is renown for being tender and delicious. Actually, this delicious flavor is made possible by the hard work of farmers who specialize in fattening cattle, as well as by strict quality management. This video introduce the charm of Japanese Wagyu beef going far beyond flavor alone. (Produced by the Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council)

Charm of Japanese Wagyu

Charm of Japanese Wagyu beef is an easy-to-follow video explaining all phases from raising of cattle to exporting of beef. The video introduces the quality checks conducted prior to export, as well as the evaluation of Japanese Wagyu beef throughout the world.
The video explains the charm of Japanese Wagyu beef in an easy-to-follow format, so it is recommended for people just beginning their study of Japanese Wagyu beef.

A video on cutting Japanese Wagyu beef is available here (Link to Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council official website)

Everything about the Japanese Wagyu

Updated on March 5th, 2018

There are countless ways to cook beef, but which is the best cooking method to highlight the exquisite flavor of Japanese Wagyu? The chef at RÒU by T-HAM recommends the simplistic shabu-shabu as one of the best choices. The RÒU by T-HAM Meat Boutique was opened by the 50-year old meat brand Taiwan Farm Industry Co. T-HAM. The 1st floor is a meat boutique, and the 2nd floor is a restaurant. RÒU by T-HAM Meat Boutique allows customers to enjoy meat products at the restaurant while also being able to purchase products and cook them at home. RÒU by T-HAM not only has a senior meat cutter, but also has a meat carving expert that provides customers with professional advice on fresh meat products. Customers can enjoy delicious food and acquire knowledge about meat at the same time.

The overall decoration of the Meat Boutique’ interior is bright and clean like a fashion boutique, and the walls are made out of marble to break people’s impressions of meat boutiques. The raw and cooked meat are placed in separate areas, and the Boutique has a meat slicer that costs over NTD $500,000. Customers are very surprised during their first visits to the RÒU by T-HAM Meat Boutique. The spacious interior and excellent design of the Meat Boutique has garnered the “2017 Red Dot Product Design Award,” and an award as an entry in the Indoor Retailer group at the “2017 World Architecture Festival Awards,” which is the equivalent of an architectural Oscars award.

The 2nd Floor has a dining space that can seat 30 people, and is filled with the warm aroma of hot pots.

“The Japanese Nabemono is simple, as the broth is mostly clean water with a single piece of sea tangle, so that people can taste most original flavor of the ingredients.”As explained by the chef there is some difference between Taiwanese and Japanese shabu-shabu. In Japan, the locals first blanch the meat and then eat the vegetables. When the sea tangle broth is enriched with the taste of the vegetables and the fresh meat products, the rice is then cooked inside the broth with other ingredients. They proceed to eat the mixed pot of ingredients with Japanese pickled foods.

However, the people of Taiwanese enjoy numerous types of tastes and a large variety of dishes. Therefore, Taiwanese hot pot restaurants usually have multiple broths and more than ten types of sauces. The Boutique’s shabu-shabu offers two kinds of broths to enrich the customers’ taste buds and allow them to enjoy the authentic local taste. The first broth is a fresh pork bone broth that is slowly simmered with 500 kg of pork leg meat. The second broth is a fresh pork bone broth that is mixed with kasu miso. The sauces that come with the shabu-shabu also stay true to Japanese tradition, as it is a combination of orange vinegar and sesame sauce made from fresh limes and oranges. Spicy radish puree and chopped green onions are also included to bring out the taste.

The main attraction of the shabu-shabu is the Japanese Wagyu slices. The restaurant provides customers with choices regarding the origins and cuts of the beef cattle. The origin of the premium Japanese Wagyu includes cattle from Miyazaki, Omi, Kagoshima, Hokkaido and other provinces. The cuts of the cattle include the short loin, sirloin, chuck and other cuts. Miyazaki, the rising star of all Japanese Wagyu cattle, won the "National Japanese Wagyu Competency Competition" for three consecutive times since 2007. It is characterized by rich and dense marbling, and has hint of peach and coconut. What makes the Miyazaki Wagyu special is that the milky and fruity scents are often detected as the beef products are being processed, making them taste even more delicious. The Miyazaki short loin appears to be whiter than other cuts due to its wider and thicker marbling. On the other hand, the rib eye has a delicate and highly-dense marbling and is usually referred to having very beautiful “marbling.”

The Boutique slices the Miyazaki short loin into large Wagyu slices that are only 20 mm thin for the shabu-shabu. These Wagyu slices only need to be blanched for 5-6 seconds and can be eaten medium rare, and the pinkish-rose color of the Wagyu slices make them deliciously tempting. The Miyazaki short loin’s quality remains unaffected even if the Wagyu slices are blanched for too long. If customers are afraid of eating them medium rare, the Wagyu slices can boiled till they’re well done. The Miyazaki rib eye has a rich amount of fat that splits the meat blocks, therefore the Wagyu slices are best folded in half before blanching them. The Wagyu slices can then be gently opened up to prevent them falling apart, affecting the appearance and taste. Foodies that enjoy an abundance of beautiful marbling can’t afford to miss out on the Miyazaki rib eye.

Customers can begin by trying the original taste of the Miyazaki rib eye, which has absorbed the slightly salty broth. The customers can then try it with the orange vinegar and sesame sauces to experience different tastes and fragrances. Customers must make sure to add the handmade noodles or Udon noodles into the broth, and enjoy feasting on the delicious noodles that have absorbed the broth after eating Japanese Wagyu and seasonal vegetables.

The Boutique has also begun offering Miyazaki Wagyu short loin barbeque with mountain pepper. This offering is based with stir-fried onions and mushrooms, and the Japanese mountain pepper sauce brings out the sweet taste of the Miyazaki Wagyu. The rich marbling of the Miyazaki Wagyu embellished with mountain peppers gives it even more taste. However, shabu-shabu remains one of the best choices to truly enjoy the quality and taste of premium Japanese Wagyu. Not only are customers allowed to fully experience Japanese culture through Japanese Wagyu, customers can simply blanch Japanese Wagyu in the gentle broth to highlight the sweet taste of the meat products.

RÒU by T-HAM
Address: No. 326, Dunhua South Road Section 1, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Official Website: www.facebook.com/roubytham
1st Floor Meat Shop
Business Hours: Every day from 11:00 - 21:30 (Holidays will be announced separately)
Call 02-2755-2606 for more information
2nd Floor Dining Area
Business Hours: Every day from 11:30 - 21:30 (Holidays will be announced separately)
Call 02-2755-2608 to make an appointment

Updated on March 5th, 2018

Taiwan has instantly become obsessed with Japanese Wagyu ever since the ban of Japanese beef imports was lifted. The charm of Japanese Wagyu is truly irresistible as Japanese restaurants, barbeque shops, and fancy restaurants have frequently introduced brand new Japanese Wagyu meals sets! Even though everyone wants to feast on some delicious Japanese Wagyu, people are probably worried about their bank accounts while they dine at these restaurants... right? I’m going to talk about a few websites that allow people to easily purchase Japanese Wagyu online. In addition to the possibility of purchasing small packages of premium Japanese Wagyu for around NT$300, I’m going to also share two super-easy Japanese Wagyu recipes that can be cooked up by people with zero cooking fundamentals. Let’s go check out which websites offer Japanese Wagyu and how these delicious Wagyu recipes are cooked up at home!

1st Recommended Japanese Wagyu Recipe: Broiled Japanese Wagyu Sushi Roll

As I laid eyes on the A5 Japanese Wagyu that was purchased online, I immediately thought of using the beautifully-marbled striploin to make broiled sushi rolls. The first step is to evenly mix 1 tablespoon of sugar and white vinegar, and then pour it onto cooked rice. A rice ladle is then used to evenly churn and create the sushi-meshi. Have your hands rinsed with water and pinch the cooked rice into a serving enough for one mouthful, and place a slice of Japanese Wagyu that defrosted in room temperature onto the sushi-meshi.

Use the culinary torch to directly broil the surface of the Japanese Wagyu slice. Wagyu is best sampled when the surface turns into a pinkish-white color! People that are hesitant in eating overly-raw food can broil Wagyu slices for a longer period of time to get the gradation they desire.

Those that want to sample the sweet and delicious Japanese Wagyu can try sprinkling some sea salt onto the broiled Japanese Wagyu sushi roll, or slightly dip it into some wasabi and soy sauce as they highly recommended ways to enjoying the sushi roll!
* Thoughtful Reminder: To prevent food poisoning, please remember to ask the seller if that Japanese Wagyu product can be eaten raw!

2nd Recommended Japanese Wagyu Recipe: Beef Soup with Sweet Ginger and Radish Puree

I would like to introduce the second recipe: beef soup with sweet ginger and radish puree. In order to unleash the sweet taste and aroma of the Japanese Wagyu, I chose to imitate the Tainan room-temperature Beef Soup recipe by pouring the boiled sweet ginger and radish puree onto the thin-cut Japanese Wagyu. A hint of salt finally completes the bowl of beef soup, and people can sample a soup that features the sweet and tender texture of Japanese Wagyu. The first step is to cut up a small piece of ginger and half a bowl of small Chinese radish fragments. The next step is create a puree from these two ingredients using a bowl of water and a food processor or blender. After adding the puree to a pot, add two more bowls of water to boil the puree.

Follow up by placing 2 to 3 thin-cut Wagyu slices into the soup bowl, and boldly pour the boiling broth that features sweet ginger and radish puree onto the Wagyu slices.

Allow the Wagyu slices that have been drenched in boiling broth to sit for 1 to 2 minutes, and sprinkle a hint of salt after the pink Wagyu slices have gradually become white. Finish the recipe by adding some chopped green onions, creating a simple and sweet Beef Soup with Wagyu slices, sweet ginger and radish puree! This soup is incredibly easy to make and can be enjoyed during the winter or make people feel better when they have a cold. The tender aroma and marbling of Japanese Wagyu is fully blended into the soup. Individuals that have no appetite have no problem finishing an entire bowl of this delicious soup.

How do you select Japanese Wagyu? Just look for the Beef Japan Mark!

I’ll conclude by talking about which websites I used to purchase the Japanese Wagyu! In order for me to utilize Japanese Wagyu’s aroma from the marbling, tender texture, delicate flavor and enjoy in a short amount of time, I chose to purchase A5 Japanese Wagyu (120g for NT$ 369) on Keeper’s Sense’s online store. This budget-friendly and simple recipe surely can be cooked up at home in a short amount of time even if they have zero cooking fundamentals! Even if you don't have time to have a meal at a restaurant and just want to sample Japanese Wagyu at home, you can purchase officially-certified Japanese Wagyu at these websites. These Japanese Wagyu products with the Beef Japan Marks on them will allow you to have a Japanese Wagyu feast at home whenever you desire!

・Keeper’s Sense (Small packaging with every box priced at between NT$ 300-500, a suitable purchase for small families)
https://goo.gl/nkwvpE
・Mayfull Fine Foods (Offers original cuts and pre-cut Japanese Wagyu steaks, the price or pre-cut steaks are price at around NT$ 3,000)
https://goo.gl/H2ygzu
・JUYI Wagyu (Offers various premium A5-grade Japanese Wagyu, and special cuts for barbeques such as the hanger steak. Prices start at NT$ 600)
https://goo.gl/pwj3TW
★ Please refer to the following website for more information on purchasing Japanese Wagyu:
https://wagyu-jfoodo.jetro.go.jp/

Updated on March 5th, 2018

After lifting the 16-year ban on Japanese Wagyu, beef imports were allowed again in September, 2017 and Taiwan has since entered into a veritable craze for Japanese Wagyu. The public has begun paying attention to the recipes, breeding process, history and culture of Japanese Wagyu. Connoisseurs will never forget their Japanese Wagyu dining experience as it is known for its meticulous marbling and how the beef melts in their mouths. After looking at the breeding process of the Japanese Wagyu, people can see that the secret behind the delicious taste of the Wagyu is a combination of two things. The emphasis placed on the ingredients’ original flavors in Japanese dietary culture, and the persistence towards quality displayed by the professional Japanese Wagyu cattle breeders is what makes it so delicious and desirable.

Integrating Japanese dietary culture into the trend of dining on Japanese Wagyu

An expert from the Japanese Wagyu Olympics pointed out that sukiyaki is one of the best ways to sample the Japanese Wagyu.

Japanese cattle have traditionally been used for plowing fields, but the habit of consuming meat products became gradually prevalent after the Meiji period (1868 A.D.). Even though Kyoto completely preserved its traditional culture in the 1940s, the city has been very receptive of foreign cultures as well and is a city that represents the popular trends Japan. Kyoto has also been responsible for making sukiyaki popular for eating beef products.

Sukiyaki can be regarded as an important element throughout the development of Japanese Wagyu Culture. The marbling of thin-cut Wagyu slices melt away at just the right temperature (approximately 80℃), bringing out the sweetness and aroma of Japanese Wagyu. The sukiyaki exhibits the two delicious qualities of Japanese Wagyu: the way it melts away in peoples’ mouths, and how it smells and tastes like peaches and pineapples. Japanese Wagyu and sukiyaki have become popular and deeply rooted into the dietary culture of Japan.

The Attentive and Sincere Spirit of the Professional Breeder

Wholehearted Care is why the Japanese Wagyu is placed at the Top

The specifications for breeding Japanese Wagyu cattle are unimaginably high. From the moment they are born, the calves require a proof of their pedigree, hoof prints, and naming as proof of their identity. The calves must be separated from their mothers and are specially fed with artificial milk. In addition, the breeders need to pay attention to changes in temperature all the time and even have to put on special jackets for them when the weather gets cold.

Calves that are approximately 7 to 10 months old are known as “koushi (also known as motoushi),” and breeding farms will publicly auction these koushi to professional fattening farms. The Wagyu cattle will only be sold after the breeders go out of their way to breed them until they weigh 700kg. The primary food of Wagyu cattle is basically composed of hay, straw and Whole Crop Silage (WSC), which is often used in animal agriculture. The straw is an essential ingredient that contributes to the white marbling of Japanese Wagyu. In addition, fattening farms also employ their secret recipes to breeding the cattle. The breeders’ persistence and attention to their cattle is evident as they put in a lot of effort and emotions into them. There is no doubt that the devotion of the breeders is crucial to the delicious taste of Japanese Wagyu.

Branding and a strict Wagyu Grading System

Apart from the care and breeding process of these cattle, the Japanese Wagyu market also has its own brands called Meigaras. The three major Japanese Wagyu brands that most people are familiar with: Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef, and Omi beef are all certified brands that have gone through strict inspections at various places. These 150-odd “Meigaras,” such as Miyazaki beef, Yonezawa beef, and Hida beef have all been inspected and certified using the same process. Wagyu products that carry the name of their origins are priced higher than basic Japanese Wagyu products.

Japanese Wagyu Grading Chart

The grading for Japanese Wagyu, known as “Kakuzuke” in Japanese, has three grades of A, B, and C based on “First Pass Yield (FPY, also known as “Preliminary Yield, refers to the ratio of edible red meat) with A being the highest grades. The color, texture and marbling between the six and seventh rib section are graded from 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest grade. 15 grades are created from these two categories (A5, A4... all the way down to C1). This is the origin and meaning the “A5 Wagyu” that we often see on the market today. Other countries have their own grading system as well: Australia’s official grading system categorizes beef products from M1 to M9 with M9 being the highest, which is equivalent to an A3 Japanese Wagyu. However, Australia has refined its Wagyu breeding techniques and added M10 to M12 grades to its grading system with the M12 being mostly equivalent to the A5 Japanese Wagyu.

But does A5 Japanese Wagyu guarantee the best taste? This depends on personal preference. The key factors contributing to Wagyu’s grade are the marblinga nd the amount of fat. Wagyu with a level 5 grade have the best marbling, but may not satisfy connoisseurs that enjoy chewing on firmer meat instead of Wagyu that melts in their mouths. People are only capable of correctly selecting Wagyu products that match their personal preferences after they learn in detail about the culture of the Wagyu brands, Wagyu grading system, texture characteristics, and suitable recipes for the Japanese Wagyu.

Learn in detail about Japanese Wagyu culture, and discover suitable Japanese Wagyu dishes

Washoku, Wafuku (kimono), Wagashi are items that all represent the persistence in attention to detail that is found in Japanese Culture. The Wagyu, which also shares the root “Wa,” is no exception to this. The spirit of Japanese professionals is deeply rooted into Wagyu culture: it begins with the tracking of calves’ pedigrees once they’re born, to the attentive care given to the cattle by the breeders, and is concluded with the establishment of private brands and grading system. The following contributions are the reasons why western countries cannot resist the charm and delicious taste of the Japanese Wagyu despite having a longer history of having beef in their meals.

Updated on March 5th, 2018

Restaurants began importing Japanese Wagyu products after the Taiwanese government began allowing Japanese beef imports in 2017, and the entire country sunk into a craze for Japanese Wagyu. Apart from its delicate marbling, what else makes Japanese Wagyu so valuable? How did Japan create this premium-quality food ingredient that is known around the globe? Japanese Wagyu doesn’t solely rely on blessings from Mother Nature as this dreamlike ingredient has undergone continuous breeding and countless modifications to reach its current state.

Is the Wagyu a breed that is 100% native of Japan?

Japanese breeders allow the cattle to graze to ensure that the cattle remain healthy throughout the breeding process.

Many believe that Wagyu is a cattle breed only found in Japan, but this statement is not entirely correct. The Wagyu cattle were originally raised in the rich and fertile nature of Japan as work cattle for plowing rice fields, and innately possess beautiful marbling. The term “marbling,” which originated from the Japanese Wagyu, describes the snow-white webs of fat on top of the red meat, just like a marble wall or floor.

In ancient Japan, the cattle were indispensable farm animals and Shintoism restricted people from eating meat. However, as Japanese civilization flourished during the Meiji Period (around 1887 A.D.), many places caught on with the trend of modifying cattle breeds. The perfect Wagyu breed was finally created after attempting to crossbreed with foreign cattle and numerous modifications. It can be deduced that Japanese Wagyu combines the best qualities of the local Japanese cattle with foreign cattle breeds to create a premium level food ingredient.

Look at Wagyu’s earliest ancestors from the “Ten National Cattle”

Left: The Original “Ten National Cattle” / Right: The appearance of the Royal Cattle

Humanity has a long history of relying on cattle as farm animals. Japanese records indicate that cows were domesticated and introduced to Japan at roughly around 400 B.C. Painted scrolls from the Heian period (794 A.D. - 1185 A.D.) depicted members of royalty or nobility riding on highly-decorated oxcarts. The “Ten National Cattle” from the Kamakura Period recorded the physical traits of the native Japanese cattle breeds (10 listed breeds, 1 breed was lost). The Hyogo, the ancestor of the immensely popular Wagyu, is one of the ten breeds. The remaining breeds of cattle include the Tsukushigyu, Mikuriyagyu, Awajigyu, Tanbagyu, Yamatoushi, Kawachigyu, Tootoumigyu, Echizengyu, and Echigogyu.

A Miracle from Numerous Modifications: The Tajirigo

The Tajirigo, which is the ancestor of the Japanese Black, is the most important key to the developmental history of Japanese Wagyu.

The demand for beef increased due to Japanese civilization being introduced to the rest of the world and the popularization of edible beef. On the other hand, the breeding direction for cattle gradually shifted towards modifying them for eating purposes. Farming techniques were becoming more advanced and tillage machines became more popular, which reduced the cattle’s functionality as farm animals. A large variety of foreign cattle was introduce into Japan at that time for cross-breeding and modifications. The eventual product was based on the Hyogo, and bred into “The Tajirigo.” This was the deal edible cattle breed, and is the “ancestor” of the Japanese Black.

The evolution process has shaped four breeds of Japanese Wagyu: Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled. Today, more than 90% of all fattened Wagyu cattle raised in Japan are Japanese Black (commonly known as "Black Wagyu").

Ensuring Purity of Pedigree with the Beef Japan Mark

Japan strictly regulates the definition of “Japanese Wagyu,” as every cattle has its own birth certificate and pedigree record. The pedigree record includes the calf’s parents in detail to ensure purity of the pedigree. Currently, over 90% of the existing Japanese Black cattle are descendants from the Tajirigo bloodline. In 2007, Japan established the “Unified Japanese Wagyu Logo” to allow other countries to acquire proper knowledge about the Japanese Wagyu, and enable people from around the world to safely enjoy having true Japanese Wagyu.

Establishing the Irreplaceable Historic Value of Japanese Wagyu

Even though Japanese Wagyu is priced higher than other breeds of imported cattle, Taiwanese people still flock to have a bite of the delicious and tasty Japanese Wagyu.

Upon examining the history of Japanese Wagyu, people would be surprised to find that “Syokugyu (eating beef)” isn’t a custom that is native to Japan. After Japan absorbed foreign cultures during the Meiji Period, they were able to fully localize those cultural elements and develop Japan’s very own “Wagyu” breed from western dietary cultures. Countries around the world that eat beef are amazed at the appropriately sweet aroma and unique marbling of Japanese Wagyu. The persistence and attention displayed by the Japanese breeders has made Japanese Wagyu irreplaceable in the Wagyu market.