{"id":993,"date":"2026-10-18T09:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T00:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/2026\/10\/18\/japanese-wagyu-grades-explained\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T09:04:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T00:04:12","slug":"japanese-wagyu-grades-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/2026\/10\/18\/japanese-wagyu-grades-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Japanese Wagyu Grades and Why Do They Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>It's mid-October in Nagoya, and the city is buzzing. The 2026 Asian Games have just wrapped up, and the streets around Osu are still filled with visitors from across Asia and beyond \u2014 many of them, I've noticed, scanning menus on their phones and asking the same question in one form or another: <em>\"Is this wagyu really as good as it says? What do all those grades actually mean?\"<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Japanese wagyu grading is one of those topics that sounds intimidating at first \u2014 full of letters, numbers, and terminology that doesn't translate easily. But once you understand the basic system, you'll realize something interesting: the grade tells you a lot, but it doesn't tell you everything. And that gap between the grade and the actual experience is exactly where the most memorable wagyu moments tend to live.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who This Is For<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2705 Visitors curious about what \"A5 wagyu\" actually means before ordering<\/li>\n<li>\u2705 Travelers who want to go beyond well-known brands like Kobe and Matsusaka<\/li>\n<li>\u2705 Anyone wondering whether rare-style wagyu is safe to eat \u2014 and how it's prepared<\/li>\n<li>\u2705 Food lovers seeking wagyu experiences that are defined by story and craft, not just a number on a certificate<\/li>\n<li>\u2705 Guests visiting Nagoya during or after the 2026 Asian Games who want to make the most of their food itinerary<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/IMG_7898.jpg\" alt=\"What Are Japanese Wagyu Grades and Why Do They Matter? | Itadaki - The Original Rare Wagyu Gyudon\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2>What Does the Japanese Wagyu Grading System Actually Measure?<\/h2>\n<p>Japanese wagyu is graded by the Japan Meat Grading Association (JMGA) using a two-part system. The first part is a letter \u2014 A, B, or C \u2014 which refers to the <strong>yield grade<\/strong>, or how much usable meat can be taken from the carcass relative to its total weight. Grade A means a higher yield; Grade C means lower. Most premium wagyu sold to restaurants is Grade A.<\/p>\n<p>The second part is a number from 1 to 5, which reflects <strong>quality grade<\/strong> based on four criteria: marbling (fat distribution), meat color and brightness, firmness and texture, and fat color and quality. Grade 5 is the highest.<\/p>\n<p>Within the marbling category, a separate scale called the <strong>Beef Marbling Standard (BMS)<\/strong> runs from 1 to 12. An A5 wagyu must score BMS 8 or higher. A5 BMS 12 represents the maximum \u2014 intensely marbled, with fat threaded through the muscle in an almost lace-like pattern.<\/p>\n<p>So when you see \"A5\" on a menu, it means the beef scored the highest yield and the highest quality. It's a meaningful certification. But here's where it gets more nuanced: A5 describes the carcass as a whole. Individual cuts from the same A5 animal can vary considerably in texture, flavor, and the way they respond to different cooking methods. Grade tells you about potential. What you actually taste depends on the breed, the farm's feeding practices, the specific cut, and critically \u2014 how it's prepared.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sag-cta sag-cta--soft\">\n<p class=\"sag-cta__bridge\">You now know that grade is a starting point, not the whole answer \u2014 but knowing when Horai Wagyu is actually available on any given day is a separate question the article can't answer in real time. Our monthly business calendar on Instagram shows exactly which days we're open and any updates to availability. Takes less than a minute to check before you plan your visit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sag-cta__action\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/itadaki_gyudon.08\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Check Our Monthly Schedule on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Why Does Marbling Get All the Attention \u2014 and Is More Always Better?<\/h2>\n<p>Marbling became the dominant conversation in wagyu partly because it's visually striking and easy to photograph, and partly because the grading system itself places significant weight on it. A highly marbled cut is undeniably beautiful \u2014 the fat melts at low temperatures, coating the palate with a richness that is genuinely unlike any other beef in the world.<\/p>\n<p>But a growing number of wagyu enthusiasts \u2014 including repeat visitors to Japan who have worked their way through Kobe, Matsusaka, and Omi \u2014 are discovering that extreme marbling isn't always what they want from every dining experience. Very high BMS scores can feel overwhelming in larger portions. And some of the most interesting wagyu in Japan today comes from breeds and farms that deliberately balance marbling with lean meat flavor, creating something more complex and less one-dimensional.<\/p>\n<p>This is part of what drew me to Horai Wagyu when I was developing the concept behind Itadaki. Horai Wagyu is a Kuroge Wagyu (Japanese Black) raised in the Okumikawa region of Aichi Prefecture \u2014 and what makes it unusual is exactly that balance. The cattle are fed on sake lees from Horaisen Sora, a renowned local premium sake, which contributes to a flavor profile that has both the delicacy of well-marbled wagyu and a distinct, clean lean-meat character. It grades well, but it's not bred to maximize BMS at the expense of everything else. The result is beef that rewards attention \u2014 something you actually want to eat slowly, in a format that lets you taste it properly. If you'd like to go deeper on what makes this breed so rare, <a href=\"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/?p=515\">our full guide to Horai Wagyu<\/a> covers the farming practices and the scarcity behind just 300 heads raised per year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2713 Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Japanese wagyu grade (e.g., A5) measures yield and quality across four criteria \u2014 marbling is one of four, not the only factor.<\/li>\n<li>BMS (Beef Marbling Standard) goes from 1 to 12; A5 requires BMS 8 or higher, but higher marbling doesn't automatically mean a better dining experience for every palate.<\/li>\n<li>Breed, feeding practice, cut selection, and cooking method all shape what you actually taste \u2014 grade is the starting point, not the whole story.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sag-cta sag-cta--mid\">\n<p class=\"sag-cta__bridge\">The two-stage technique and the 300-head-per-year scarcity behind Horai Wagyu make more sense now \u2014 but knowing the story doesn't reserve your bowl. Horai Wagyu is limited to 10 portions per day, and October in Nagoya post-Asian Games is a busy season for the restaurant. Reserving through Tabelog takes just a few steps and confirms your spot before you arrive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sag-cta__action\"><a href=\"https:\/\/yoyaku.tabelog.com\/yoyaku\/net_booking_form\/index?rcd=23081531\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reserve Your Rare Wagyu Gyudon via Tabelog<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Is Rare-Style Wagyu Safe to Eat? What Does the Cooking Method Have to Do With Grading?<\/h2>\n<p>This is the question I hear most often from visitors who have been drawn in by the grade and the story, but pause when they see the words \"rare\" on the menu. It's a completely fair concern, and I want to address it directly.<\/p>\n<p>In Western food safety culture \u2014 particularly in the United States and much of Europe \u2014 eating undercooked beef is widely discouraged due to the risks of E. coli and other bacterial contamination. That caution is grounded in real science about how commercial beef is typically raised, processed, and handled at scale. So when a Western visitor sees \"rare wagyu,\" the instinct is understandable: wait, is this actually safe?<\/p>\n<p>The answer, at Itadaki, is yes \u2014 and the reason comes down to a specific technique, not a general claim about wagyu being \"clean\" or \"different.\" We use a proprietary <strong>two-stage cooking method<\/strong> developed specifically for our rare wagyu gyudon. The beef is heated to over 70\u00b0C at the core \u2014 the threshold established by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for safe beef preparation. This fully meets Japan's strict food safety standards. What the technique achieves is a texture that reads as rare \u2014 silky, yielding, with the fat just beginning to soften \u2014 while the heat has done its work throughout the meat. It is not raw beef. It is not sashimi-style. It is a controlled cooking process that delivers a specific sensory experience safely.<\/p>\n<p>The grade of the wagyu matters here too, but not in the way you might expect. Higher-quality wagyu \u2014 particularly beef with well-distributed marbling and excellent texture \u2014 responds better to this kind of precision cooking. The two-stage method would produce a very different result on a lower-quality cut. The quality of Horai Wagyu and Mikawa Beef from Aichi Prefecture is part of what makes the technique work as intended.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\"The rare wagyu was unlike anything I've ever tasted \u2014 a life-changing culinary experience.\"<\/p>\n<p><cite>\u2014 Guest review<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That's the response we hear most often, and honestly, it never gets old. The surprise isn't just the flavor \u2014 it's the realization that something can feel this delicate and yet be prepared with this much care and precision behind it. For a fuller look at the safety question and how Japan's food standards apply, <a href=\"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/?p=795\">our article on what makes Itadaki the original rare wagyu gyudon<\/a> goes into more detail on the culinary philosophy behind the concept.<\/p>\n<h2>Does Grade Tell You Which Wagyu Experience Is Right for You?<\/h2>\n<p>Here is where I'd gently push back on the way wagyu is often marketed, especially to international visitors. Grade is useful shorthand. It tells you that a producer met a specific standard under a certified system. But it doesn't tell you whether the beef was raised by a farmer who has dedicated decades to a specific feeding philosophy. It doesn't tell you whether the cut was selected for a particular cooking method. And it doesn't tell you whether the restaurant serving it understands the ingredient well enough to do anything interesting with it.<\/p>\n<p>Japan has roughly 500,000 wagyu cattle raised annually. Horai Wagyu accounts for just 300 of those heads, across three farms in Okumikawa. That scarcity isn't a marketing construct \u2014 it reflects a deliberate, small-scale approach to raising cattle that simply cannot be expanded without changing what makes the beef distinctive. When we limit Horai Wagyu gyudon to 10 bowls per day, it's because that's what honest sourcing at this scale actually allows.<\/p>\n<p>If you've already explored Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef on previous trips to Japan, you may find that <a href=\"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/?p=924\">Japan's wagyu scene beyond the famous brands<\/a> offers some of the most compelling discoveries available to a repeat visitor. The grade is often similar. The story is entirely different.<\/p>\n<h2>What Should You Actually Look for When Choosing a Wagyu Experience in Japan?<\/h2>\n<p>After eighteen years working with food and ingredients across Aichi Prefecture, here's what I'd suggest paying attention to beyond the grade:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sourcing transparency.<\/strong> Can the restaurant tell you the farm, the region, and the feeding practice? If the answer is vague, the grade alone isn't enough information to make a meaningful choice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cut selection relative to cooking method.<\/strong> Wagyu doesn't behave the same way across all cuts or all preparations. A chef who understands the relationship between the specific cut and the specific technique will produce something qualitatively different from one who simply sources A5 and applies generic methods.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ingredient context.<\/strong> Wagyu doesn't exist in isolation. The rice it's served with, the sauce it's paired against, the condiments offered alongside \u2014 all of these interact with the beef's flavor. At Itadaki, everything on the table comes from Aichi Prefecture: the rice, the miso, the pickles, the egg, the seasonings. That coherence isn't incidental \u2014 it's what creates a complete taste of a place, rather than a piece of expensive beef dropped into a generic setting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cooking method matched to the beef's character.<\/strong> This is perhaps the least discussed factor and the most important one at the actual moment of eating. Grade tells you what the raw ingredient is capable of. The cooking method determines what you actually experience.<\/p>\n<p>Understanding wagyu grades gives you a useful foundation \u2014 but the most memorable wagyu meals tend to happen when you follow the story of an ingredient all the way from the farm to the bowl in front of you, and trust that someone along the way made deliberate choices at every step.<\/p>\n<p>For our complete menu, access details, and store information, visit our official page at <a href=\"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/english\/\">https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/english\/<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"sag-cta sag-cta--close\">\n<p class=\"sag-cta__bridge\">You've worked through what the grading system measures, why marbling isn't the only story, and how our two-stage cooking method makes rare-style wagyu both safe and exceptional \u2014 now the only remaining step is actually sitting down to taste it. Horai Wagyu gyudon is limited to 10 bowls per day, and we'd hate for you to arrive and find it sold out. Secure your seat now through Tabelog.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sag-cta__action\"><a href=\"https:\/\/yoyaku.tabelog.com\/yoyaku\/net_booking_form\/index?rcd=23081531\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reserve Your Seat for Horai Wagyu Gyudon<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"LocalBusiness\",\"name\":\"Itadaki - The Original Rare Wagyu Gyudon\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\",\"address\":\"4-1-20 Osu 2F, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 460-0011, Japan\",\"areaServed\":\"Itadaki serves foreign visitors from around the world who are traveling in the Nagoya area. Our primary customer base includes:\\n\\nGeographic reach:\\n- Immediate area: Osu district and Sakae district (within 10-minute walking distance)\\n- Nagoya city center: Nagoya Station, Fushimi, Kanayama, and other central districts (within 15-minute subway ride)\\n- Aichi Prefecture: Meitetsu Line and JR line commuters from Toyohashi, Toyota, Ichinomiya, and other Aichi cities\\n- Central Japan region: Travelers passing through Nagoya from Gifu, Shizuoka, Mie, and Nagano prefectures\\n- International travelers: All foreign visitors staying in Nagoya as part of their Japan itinerary\\n\\nPeak traveler seasons:\\n- Cherry blossom season (late March to early April)\\n- Golden Week (late April to early May)\\n- Summer festival season (July-August, including World Cosplay Summit)\\n- Autumn foliage season (November)\\n- 2026 Asian Games and Para Games (September-October 2026)\",\"description\":\"Rare Wagyu Gyudon (Horai Wagyu \u2014 limited to 10 bowls daily):\\n- Shinkoccho (Standard): 100g beef, 200g rice, \u00a52,700\\n- Cho-ten (Medium): 150g beef, 250g rice, \u00a53,200\\n- Zettcho (Large): 200g beef, 300g rice, \u00a53,600\\n\\nRare Wagyu Gyudon (Mikawa Beef \u2014 always available):\\n- Fumoto (Standard): 100g beef, 200g rice, \u00a51,800\\n- Oka (Medium): 150g beef, 250g rice, \u00a52,300\\n- Daichi (Large): 200g beef, 300g rice, \u00a52,700\\n\\nSide Dishes:\\n- Teppen (Premium Horai Wagyu Beef Plate): 50g, \u00a5800 \u2014 Same wagyu with different cutting and searing technique, delivering a distinct taste from the gyudon\\n- Piman no Nikuzume (Evolved Stuffed Green Pepper): 2 pieces, \u00a5700 \u2014 A popular dish originally from Tokyo's Toranomon Yokocho\\n\\nOptions:\\n- Extra rice: +\u00a5200\\n- Change to Super Mochi Barley Rice (from Toyohashi): +\u00a5200\\n- Super Mochi Barley Rice extra size: +\u00a5400\\n- Remove Nagoya Cochin egg: -\u00a5150\\n- Extra Nagoya Cochin egg: +\u00a5150\\n- Extra pickled radish (Atsumi Ich\u014d-zuke): +\u00a5150\\n- Extra shiso leaves (Aikei No.1): +\u00a5150\\n\\nBeverages (all Aichi\/Nagoya specialties):\\n- Kinshachi Beer Pilsner (330ml bottle): \u00a5700 \u2014 Nagoya craft beer pioneer\\n- Coffee Shochu Oolong Tea Mix: \u00a5700 \u2014 MAX'S BAR's signature drink since 2008\\n- Chita Highball: \u00a5700 \u2014 Aichi's Chita Distillery whisky\\n- Nagoya Cider: \u00a5700 \u2014 Local Nagoya craft cider\\n- Chita & Nagoya Cider with Lemon: \u00a51,000 \u2014 House specialty mix\\n- Chita \\\"Naka\\\" Refill: \u00a5500 \u2014 Add more Chita whisky to your remaining cider\"}<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What Does the Japanese Wagyu Grading System Actually Measure?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Japanese wagyu is graded on yield (A, B, or C) and quality (1\u20135), with the quality score reflecting marbling, meat color, firmness, and fat quality. A5 is the highest combined grade, but individual cuts and farm practices shape what you actually taste.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why Does Marbling Get All the Attention \u2014 and Is More Always Better?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Marbling is visually striking and heavily weighted in the grading system, but extremely high BMS scores can feel overwhelming in larger portions. Some of the most interesting wagyu in Japan today balances marbling with lean-meat flavor for a more complex experience.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is Rare-Style Wagyu Safe to Eat? What Does the Cooking Method Have to Do With Grading?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"At Itadaki, rare wagyu is prepared using a proprietary two-stage cooking technique that heats the beef to over 70\u00b0C at the core, fully meeting Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare food safety standards. The result delivers a rare texture safely \u2014 it is not raw beef.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does Grade Tell You Which Wagyu Experience Is Right for You?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Grade is useful shorthand, but it doesn't capture sourcing transparency, cut selection, or cooking philosophy. Horai Wagyu's scarcity \u2014 just 300 heads per year \u2014 reflects a deliberate farming approach that no grade certificate alone can convey.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What Should You Actually Look for When Choosing a Wagyu Experience in Japan?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Beyond grade, look for sourcing transparency, cut selection matched to the cooking method, and ingredient context. The most memorable wagyu meals happen when every element \u2014 from farm to bowl \u2014 reflects deliberate, informed choices.\"}}]}<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It's mid-October in Nagoya, and the city is buzzing. The 2026 Asian Games have just wrapped up, and the streets around Osu are still filled with visitors from across Asia and beyond \u2014 many of them, I've noticed, scanning menus on their phones and asking the same question in one form or another: \"Is this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":992,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sns_share_botton_hide":"","vkExUnit_sns_title":"","_vk_print_noindex":"","sitemap_hide":"","_veu_custom_css":"","veu_display_promotion_alert":"","vkexunit_cta_each_option":"","_lightning_design_setting":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wagyu-brands"],"veu_head_title_object":{"title":"","add_site_title":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=993"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":994,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/993\/revisions\/994"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itadaki8.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}