Eat My Globe

A National Living Treasure: The History of Wagyu

Simon Majumdar (“SM”):

Hey, April.

April Simpson (“AS”):

Yeah, Simon.

SM:

Why was the Wagyu feeling blue?

AS:

I don’t know Simon. Why was the Wagyu feeling blue?

SM:

It was having a rare moment.

AS:

Oh.

[Laughter]

SM:

I love that. I love that.

INTRO MUSIC

Hi everybody.

I am Simon Majumdar and welcome to a new episode of Eat My Globe: A Podcast of things you didn’t know you didn’t know about food.

On this very special episode we shall be looking at Wagyu beef. This beef is known for its beautiful layer of marbling. This is the kind of meat that every lover of beef will bow the knees to.

But what is it? Where is it from? How did it develop in Japan? And how did it get to the rest of the world?

Don’t worry, BEEF happy. It starts so quickly. Oh, Syb.

These are the questions we, er, hopefully should answer by the end of this episode.

So, let’s start by explaining the word “Wagyu.” That’s W A G Y U. And it is pronounced Wah-gyoo, not Wah-goo.

At its most basic, the term means

“Wa,” which means “Japan” or “Japanese.”

And

“Gyu,” which means “cow” or “cattle.”

So, Wagyu literally translates to Japanese cattle.

And in this case, it particularly means the beef taken from, as Merriam Webster describes it,

Quote

“any of four strains of a breed of black or red Japanese cattle valued for their highly marbled meat.”

End quote.

Before we get into all things Wagyu, I should note that not all things beef cattle in Japan is classified as Wagyu. The other types of cattle in Japan is called “Kokusan-Gyu,” which is a rough translation to beef produced in the country. So, for example, a breed like Holstein that is raised in Japan is Kokusan-Gyu. Because, as we shall discuss later, Wagyu is from specific breeds. Put another way, all Wagyu are Kokusan-Gyu but not all Kokusan-Gyu are Wagyu.

Now that we have discussed the difference between Wagyu and Kokusan-Gyu, let’s talk about all things Wagyu.

First, let’s discuss how Wagyu came to Japan.

As you may recall from Season 2 of Eat My Globe where I did a two-part BEEFY episode on the history of beef, which you should listen to if you have not already done so. But to refresh your recollection, the first cattle was domesticated from a wild breed known as aurochs, or “Bos primigenius.” That animal moved to many places Europe, Africa, and North Asia. While “Bos primigenius” is now extinct, with the last of its breed dying in 1627 in Poland, they have now evolved and developed as they migrated to different parts of the world. These days, cattle are generally divided into two subspecies  – the “Bos taurus” and the “Bos indicus.”

One can distinguish “Bos indicus” from “Bos taurus” by the hump – “Bos indicus” has one while “Bos taurus” does not.”

It is believed that humans first domesticated “Bos taurus” some 10,000 years ago in the area now known as the Fertile Crescent, which is the area of the Middle East surrounded by the Tigris, the Euphrates rivers, and the Mediterranean Sea.

In North Asia, which includes North China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan, the cattle fall under the subspecies of “Bos taurus.”

And for our purposes, Wagyu is of the “Bos taurus” variety.

While some sources say humans domesticated “Bos taurus” 10,000 years ago, other sources says that the particular Wagyu strain developed 35,000 years ago.

However Wagyu developed, these cattle arrived in Japan from Korea between 500 BCE and 300 CE. The early Japanese used these cattle as work horses – or should I say work cattle? This meant that the cattle were “draft animals” that pulled and carried heavy workloads. This is unsurprising as Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that Japanese cattle were known for

Quote

“their muscular builds, endurance, and strength.”

End quote.

Bit like me.

In 675 CE, Emperor Tenmu banned his people from eating  meat – including beef, horse, dog, chickens and monkeys – so they could be used for farming. As Atlas Obscura puts it,

Quote

“It was also in the best interest of the country to discourage the eating of useful farm animals, since there were relatively few of them in Japan.”

End quote.

Japan would add pork to this ban list later on. Some theorized that the emperor imposed the ban not just because of farming but also because, as a Buddhist, the teaching of his religion prohibited him from killing living things. The ban eventually became in effect year-round.

As an aside, an interesting effect of this meat eating ban resulted in the Japanese losing height. During the Kofun period of Japan – which lasted from 250 CE to 538 CE – Japanese men, on average, were about 163 centimeters or about 5 feet 3 inches tall. But, during the Edo period of Japan – which lasted from 1603 to 1867 – Japanese men were, on average, about 157 cm or about 5 feet 2 inches tall. I find that really, really interesting as it seems to support the theory how not eating meat – or at least the protein – can affect a nation.

Back to Wagyu. Apparently, around 1830, the Japanese started improving their cattle by having the village leader managing the breeding sires or bulls, which ultimately led to quote, “inbred bloodlines,” end quote, so the cattle could work better.

This improvement in breeding movements would continue with the advent of new leadership.

But it wasn’t until we get to the 19th century that we begin to see cattle being considered for food again.

In 1868, Emperor Meiji came to power. His government ended Japan’s isolation from other countries, and started the quote, “westernization,” end quote, of Japan.

This westernization included Emperor Meiji breaking the centuries old ban on eating meat when he ate beef himself in 1872.

This westernization also included cross breeding the existing Japanese cattle with imported breeds like Brown Swiss, Devon, Holstein, Angus, Shorthorn, Simmental, Ayrshire and Korean cattle.

And when they crossed Japanese cattle with a British knight they called it SIR LOIN.

I’m so very sorry.

AS:

[Laughter]

SM:

This is not me.

Seriously now, by 1910, all the cross breeding apparently produced lesser quality meat so Japan stopped importing cattle for cross breeding. Instead, Japan switched to improving intra-breeding.

By 1944, Japan had identified three major breeds of Japanese cattle or Wagyu. By 1957, it identified the fourth major breed.

By 1990, Japan declared Wagyu a

Quote

“national living treasure.”

End quote.

I definitely believe that.

The four breeds that are now the national living treasures are: the Japanese Black also known as Kuroge; the Japanese Brown also known as Akage also known as Akaushi; the Japanese Polled also known as Mukaku; and the Japanese Shorthorn also known as Nihon Tankaku.

So, let’s briefly talk about each one.

The first Wagyu breed is:

Japanese Black or Kuroge. Depending on the source, it is said that either 90 percent or 95 percent or even over a whopping 97 percent of Wagyu is categorized under this breed. Kuroge means “black hair” or “black hide,” which means the cows have black hair or hide.

One of the most famous bloodlines of Japanese Black breeds is called Tajima. The other two bloodlines are Kedake and Shimane. The Tajima line has been around since the 17th century. And the story goes that, in 1939, a Tajima bull in Hyogo Prefecture led a very privileged life. He was very well taken care of by his owner, and in return, he became the father of 1,500 calves in his lifetime. And as a result of his, er, productivity, it is believed that 99.9 percent of all Tajima cows descended from him. Wow.

A descendant of this productive Tajima cow includes one of the most famous types of Japanese Black Wagyu – and that is Kobe Beef from Kobe, Japan. Kobe Beef must come from the Hyogo Prefecture and descended from the Tajima line of Japanese Black breeds. And Kobe Beef must come from virgin cows or gelded bulls. I tried Kobe steak in Kobe, in Japan a few years ago. It was delicious and only needed a touch of fire to be cooked perfectly. This is because Wagyu, in general, has a lot of mono unsaturated fatty acids, which means they are so fatty that even low temperatures melt the fat. In fact, our chef just leaned the steak on the side of the fireplace and not directly on top of the fire. Mmmm.

Another descendant of this productive Tajima cow – and is also a famous Black Wagyu is one of my favorites – Matsusaka Beef. While the cows that will become Matsusaka Beef are initially bred in Tajima in the Hyogo Prefecture, they must spend around 3 years in Matsusaka in the Mie Prefecture to be considered Matsusaka Beef. Mmmm. Matsusaka Beef must also come from virgin females, and fed soy, wheat, barley and rice. I have had this type of beef when I was at a restaurant in Tokyo a few years ago, and I have to say it is well marbled, and very, very rich. I had it prepared yakiniku style or grilled over an open flame, and sukiyaki or in a hot pot. They were cut very, very thinly. As yakiniku, each piece was barely over the fire but for a few seconds, and as sukiyaki, each piece was dipped into a hot pot just a few seconds. I think it tastes better than Kobe Beef. As beef baron, Yoshinaga Koda, described it,

Quote

“It’s the concentration of fatty acids in Matsusaka beef that gives it a sweet flavor.”

End quote.

I’m now getting very, very, very hungry. Anyway.

Other famous Japanese Black Wagyu include Miyazaki Beef from Kyushu Prefecture; Omi Beef from Shiga Prefecture; Yonezawa Beef from Yamagata Prefecture; Tajima Beef from Hyogo Prefecture; Hida Beef from Gifu Prefecture – which is also one of my favorites; Sendai Beef from Miyagi Prefecture; and Maesawa Beef from Iwate Prefecture; and Ishigaki Beef from Okinawa.

I’m getting so hungry.

Moving on. The second Wagyu breed is:

Japanese Brown or Akage or Akaushi. This primarily originates in the Kochi Prefecture – which is in the southern island of Shikoku – I’m having a lot of trouble pronouncing all of these so I hope people can forgive me – and in the Kumamoto Prefecture – which is in the island of Kyushu in the southwest of Japan. It is the second most common Wagyu in Japan after the Japanese Black. It is also known in the US as red Wagyu probably because Akage means “red hide.”

The third Wagyu breed is:

Japanese Polled or Mukaku. This is probably the rarest of the Wagyu breeds because it is found mainly in the Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is in the western tip of mainland Japan, and there are probably only about 200 cows. It was cross bred with European cattle in the mid-1800s. And, it is not found outside Japan.

And the fourth Wagyu breed is:

Japanese Shorthorn or Nihon Tankaku. This comes from the Northern part of the country, which includes Hokkaido, Awate, Akita, and Aomori Prefectures. It has been cross bred with imported Shorthorn from Europe and the United Sates. Again, this is not found outside Japan.

So let’s have a look at how Wagyu are cared for.

Some say that all Wagyu are fed beer and massaged on a regular basis. The Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association denies that, stating

Quote

“neither massages nor the feeding of beer or sake to cows is part of its standard rearing methods.”

End quote.

Another farmer in Kobe also disputes this rearing method and mused,

Quote

“I love my animals and take real care of them, I raise them to two and a half years. I also give them all names because herds on farms here are rarely larger than 150 cows. But do I massage them? No. If I did, I wouldn’t have time to do anything else! Also no one feeds beer to their animals, as far as I know. Some competition level cows are treated differently, for example we may use expensive shampoo to make their coats even shinier, but that’s it. And no music.”

End quote.

While the Kobe Beef people deny pampering their cows, the Matsusaka Beef people have a different story. According to The Japan Times,

Quote

“Music is not the only luxury these heifers enjoy. The animals are also fed beer to stimulate their eating and receive regular massages. [Mie Prefecture government veterinarian Emi] Okamoto says beer is typically fed to Matsusaka cattle when they are older or in the heat of the summer.”

End quote.

I wonder if they play BEEF-thoven to these heifers?

Oh no.

No, I wish I didn’t give these over to Sybil. But anyway. Anyway.

The Mie Matsusaka Meat Corporation also says

Quote

“Six months to eight months before shipping, in order to prevent the end of fattening, beer may be given to increase appetite. Some farmers also do massage with shochu to improve coat. . . . Also, massage is an important task to improve the blood circulation of cows and evenly apply subcutaneous fat.”

End quote.

And that massage supposedly leads to better marbling. Oh.

Is it really feasible to massage each of your cows? I don’t know but a fun fact I read was that in 2017, on average, farmers in Japan raised about 50 cattle each. So, I guess that it is possible that a farmer could set aside 4 hours a day to massage 50 cows for, I don’t know, 5 minutes at a time with soothing

[Sighs]

MOO-sic. . .

AS:

[Laughter]

SM:

. . .of course.

Oh gah.

So, there you go. Maybe that is why I like Matsusaka Beef better than Kobe Beef. Matsusaka Beef is more pampered. Just like me.

Wagyu breeding in Japan is well regulated. Every cow’s birthday, bloodline, and birthplace are recorded with a government entity called, Zenwa. Cows are bred for about 10 months and then sold to farmers to be raised. Their feeding schedule is as follows:

Quote

“From 11 to 18 months of age, the diet comprises increasing amounts of concentrate (36.8% to 86.4%, formulated feed) and decreasing amounts of roughage (Jamboree [beer bran], hay, and rice straw). During the final stage from 18 months of age until slaughter, the diet comprises 86.4% to 84.2% concentrate and 13.6% to 15.8% roughage. All cattle have constant access to water and blocks containing minerals, salt, and a diuretic. Total feed consumption during fattening is normally 4,000 to 5,000 kg/head.”

End quote.

Apparently, farmers also give their cattle Vitamin A, which is supposed to help with marbling.

They tend to be sent to slaughter at around 30 months old and at 2,000 pounds.

And then, the Japan Meat Grading Association grades the animal. Apparently, there are about 200 certified graders within the Japan Meat Grading Association.

According to the Japan Meat Information Service Center, graders look at “Yield Grade” and “Quality Grade.”

Quote

“Yield Grade is the ratio of meat to dressed carcass weight, and is classified into three grades, from A to C (A: 72 and greater; B: 69 and greater; C: less than 69), according to numbers determined in four categories (rib eye area, rib thickness, subcutaneous fat thickness, chilled carcass weight). [¶] Quality Grade is the classified into grades (from 5 to 1) according to marbling, meat brightness, meat firmness and texture, and fat brightness and quality.”

End quote.

Then, within the marbling category, the score ranges from 1 to 12 – with 8-12 having “very abundant” marbling – like me; 5 to 7 having “somewhat abundant” marbling; 3 to 4 having “somewhat scarce” marbling; and 1 having “very scarce” marbling.

And so, the grades of the animal for quality is marked “A5” to “A1,” as you may have heard servers or heard butchers describing Wagyu. If Wagyu is described as “A5,” they are calling it the best – meaning it has a Grade A Yield, Grade 5 in Quality with a very abundant marbling score. “A1” is the lowest grade of Wagyu meaning it has low yield and quality, and likely have very scarce marbling.

To put things into perspective, according to Daniel Vaughn at Texas Monthly,

Quote

“beef graded as USDA Prime would be at best a 2 on the Japanese scale.”

End quote.

[Sighs]

I guess USDA Prime does not MEAT expectations. Get it? Ugh. I’m really sorry.

Anyway, the key for us consumers is to have distributors who will recognize the cuts of beef, and chefs who know how to differentiate the animals while cutting.

To make all these beautiful animals is great. But they will only be so recognized if they have master chefs to prepare them. Like so many other dishes that are prepared in Japan, it can take many years to become a master.

The Japanese Meat Information Service Center lists a variety of ways to prepare Wagyu  including, as I previously talked about – Yakiniku, which is grilling thin pieces; Oh. Sukiyaki, which is the hot pot dish; and as a steak cooked away from the fire. They also suggest putting thin slices in a salad, serving it like sushi, roast it on a hot ceramic plate like Toban-yaki, blanched in boiling water like Shabu-shabu, brown some pieces like Tataki, and more. One other way I have tried Wagyu in Tokyo was in a cutlet sando or sandwich.

This is what makes Wagyu such a special animal. And why other countries began to want to grow these animals themselves.

In 1975, Morris Whitney, who later became the president of the Kobe Beef Producers, Inc., imported four live wagyu cattle to Colorado in the USA. They were two black bulls named Mazda, from Tottori with a Kedaka line, and Mt Fuji from Hyogo with a Tajima line. They had also imported two red bulls, named Judo and Rueshaw who were both from Kumamoto with a Kumamoto Red line. There would be additional importations of live cattle to the United States from Japan until 1997, which was when Japan declared Wagyu illegal for export.

Between 1989 and 1999, Australia received its first Wagyu embryos via the US.

After that, countries like Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany imported Wagyu from the United States or Australia. Later, countries like South Africa and Namibia started growing their own Wagyu cattle too. Currently, there’s about 34 countries outside Japan that are breeding Wagyu.

Before Japan banned Wagyu exports, Japan exported a total of 183 live Wagyu cattle. That resulted in 221 Wagyu cattle that form the basis of all fullblood Wagyu bloodlines outside Japan. Put another way, all fullblood Wagyu outside Japan descend from these 221 animals. That’s incredible.

Outside Japan, cattle could be labeled “Wagyu” only if at least one parent is a purebred or fullblood. In discussing these Wagyu from outside Japan, I just want to distinguish them from the animals grown inside Japan. So, to avoid confusion, so I’m going to call Wagyu grown inside Japan as “Japanese Wagyu” even though, as we know, calling it that is redundant.

Okay, so let’s talk about how we classify Wagyu grown outside Japan.

Full-Blood means the animal contains 100% of blood traceable to Japanese Wagyu DNA.

Purebred means the animals contain 93.75% Japanese Wagyu DNA. It may be labeled as F4.

Crossbreed means that the animal has been bred with a non-Japanese Wagyu breed. In the US, that breed is typically Angus or Holstein. Within this category are several categories ranging from F4 to F1. We already known about the F4 or Purebred. F3 means that an animal has over 87% Japanese Wagyu DNA. F2 means an animal has 75% or more Japanese Wagyu DNA. And F1 means an animal has 50% or more Japanese Wagyu DNA.

And if a Japanese Wagyu is bred with bread, it’s called MEATLOAF.

AS:

[Laughter]

SM:

Oh gah.

Seriously though, my own view is that you have to think of American Wagyu and Japanese Wagyu as very different animals used for different purposes. The melt in your mouth of the Japanese Wagyu would be suitable for something like shabu-shabu, whereas the crossbreeds of American Wagyu would be suitable to those fantastic steaks that we sometimes see at American classic steakhouses.

The crossbreed of Wagyu and Angus cattle – believe it or not – is actually called “Wangus,” which I have to say I think is rather a good name.

I hope that this episode will lead you to try Wagyu or Wagyu crossbreeds. If the RARE opportunity arises and you are able to do so, make sure you try the A5 Wagyu. It’s definitely not cheap. It can cost hundreds of dollars a time.

[Sighs]

One would even say that the STEAKS are high.

AS:

[Laughter]

SM:

But it is an experience you will never ever forget. And don’t forget to try the crossbreed of Wagyu at your local steakhouse, too. That is something you will never forget as well.

I shall see you next week folks. I’m gonna eat some Wagyu.

Take care.

OUTRO MUSIC

SM:

Make sure to check out the website associated with this podcast at www.EatMyGlobe.com where we will be posting the transcripts from each episode, along with all the references and resources we used putting the episodes together, in case you want to delve deeper into each subject. There is also a contact button, so please do let us know if there are any subjects that you would like us to cover.

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Thank you and goodbye from me, Simon Majumdar, we’ll speak to you soon on the next episode of EAT MY GLOBE: Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know About Food.

CREDITS

The EAT MY GLOBE Podcast is a production of “It’s Not Much But It’s Ours” and “Producer Girl Productions.”

[Ring sound]

We would also like to thank Sybil Villanueva for all of her help both with the editing of the transcripts and her essential help with the research.