Wagyu is the collective name for Japan’s principal cattle breeds, especially prized for intensely marbled beef.
The word wagyū literally means “Japanese cattle.” In modern Japan it refers to four established breeds: Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn. Japanese Black accounts for more than 97% of Wagyu beef cattle in Japan and is the breed most strongly associated with the fine intramuscular fat known as sashi, or marbling.
Wagyu’s history combines native Japanese cattle with selected European stock during breeding programs begun around 1900. The modern breed names were formalized during the twentieth century. Today, beef labels may also identify regional brands such as Kobe, Matsusaka, Yonezawa, or Ōmi; these are geographic and production designations, not separate cattle breeds.
A common mix-up is treating Wagyu and Kobe beef as synonyms. Kobe beef comes from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle and must meet specific regional and grading requirements. Japanese beef grades combine yield and meat-quality scores, with A5 representing the highest combination.