When buying meat in Japan, the terminologies can be confusing – especially when it comes to more expensive beef. The different cuts are often referred to as Wagyu or Japanese (domestic) beef. But what are those two varieties and what is the difference between them? If you want to know, please continue reading.

What is Wagyu?

Wagyu (和牛) simply means “Japanese cattle“, or “Japanese beef”. When talking about Japanese cattle, there are basically four breeds: Japanese Black (黒毛和種 kuroge washu), Japanese Brown (褐毛和種 akage washu), Japanese Shorthorn (日本短角種 nihon tankaku washu) and Japanese Polled (無角和種 mukaku washu). Those four, including all their crossbreeds, are referred to as Wagyu. The most famous Wagyu brands are Kobe Beef, Matsuzaka Beef and Omi Beef. They are referred to as the San-dai Wagyu which translates as the “Big three of Wagyu”. Wagyu is the most expensive and best beef in Japan and most likely all over the world.

What is “Japanese domestic beef“?

Besides the four original Wagyu breeds, there are, of course, other types of cattle bred in Japan. It is called domestic if imported from overseas and housed in Japan for at least three months. The meat of the so-called Holstein-Friesian cattle, normally used for dairy, is also traded under the label of Japanese domestic beef.
Most of the domestic beef sold in Japan comes from a crossbreeding between male Japanese Blacks and female dairy cows. It is of very high quality, but usually cheaper than Wagyu.