Do you know what the difference is between Wagyu beef and Kobe beef? Is there actually a difference? Please read more below.

If you know anything about beef, you must have heard that Japanese beef is a class apart in terms of tenderness, texture and flavour among other things.

Japanese beef is widely regarded as the best beef available in the world and this is the reason, it regularly sells for more than several hundred dollars a pound.

Japanese take beef very seriously and have different names for different types of beef but the two most common names associated with Japanese beef are Wagyu and Kobe.

The Difference between Wagyu And Kobe Beef

Simply put, all Kobe beef is Wagyu beef but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe beef. Does that make things even more confusing?

Wagyu beef is the literal name for beef in Japanese. “Wa” means Japanese and “Gyu” means beef.

It is the term used for Japanese beef from four cattle breeds namely brown, black, shorthorn and polled.

However, it is important for you to note that almost all the Wagyu is derived from Japanese black cattle.

The thing that separates Wagyu from others is the high percentage of unsaturated fats and excellent marbling.

It is creamy in flavour and savoury. It is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fats. It is high in sodium and low in cholesterol.

On the other hand, Kobe beef is a variety of Wagyu beef.

You can even say that Kobe beef is the highest quality Wagyu beef as Kobe is widely regarded as the most marbled beef in the world.

It is for this reason that it often fetches the highest price per pound worldwide as a lot of care, effort and time goes into raising the cattle.

It is exclusively derived from Tajima-Gyu cattle that is raised to extremely strict standards.

Wagyu Beef

If you go to Japan, you’ll find that there are many different types of Wagyu beef available in the market.

The type of beef is usually tied to the location where the cows are raised.

Some of the common types of Wagyu beef available in Japan include Shimane, Kochi, Okayama, Hyogo, Tottori and Kumamoto among others.

Each of these types of Wagyu has its own unique characteristics.

However, the term Wagyu beef can be used for cattle raised and harvested anywhere in the world. It simply means that it comes from Japanese cattle.

Kobe Beef

This is regarded as the most expensive beef in the world.

What sets it apart from other types of beef is that it is the most creamy and flavourful piece of beef you can have in the world.

As mentioned above, the beef in Japan is usually tied to the region from where it comes.

However, not all the cattle raised in the Kobe region is labelled as Kobe beef.

There are strict regulations that need to be met in order to be labelled as certified Kobe beef.

This is the reason, less than 3,000 cattle heads each year get the coveted Kobe beef certification.

Some of the regulations that need to be met for being labelled as Kobe beef include:

• Must be a Virgin cow
• The cow must be born within the Hyogo prefecture.
• It should be raised on a farm within this region and the meat should also be processed within this region.
• The weight should not exceed 470 kg.
• The marbling rating should be six or more on a 12 point scale.
• The meat quality rating should be at least four on a five-point scale.

Wagyu vs Kobe Beef – What is best

If you have the budget, you should definitely try Kobe beef but this does not mean that Wagyu is something to sneer at.

Authentic Wagyu beef is widely regarded as one of the most delicious and succulent pieces of meat you can find anywhere but Kobe is definitely a class apart.

Conclusion

There is no denying the fact that Wagyu and Kobe beef have grown in reputation and popularity all across the world.

It’s not easy to come across authentic Japanese beef so you should definitely give it a try at least once just to get an idea of what the huge fuss is all about.

If you are in Melbourne and want to enjoy an authentic Japanese Restaurant in Doncaster, you simply can’t go past Kobe Teppanyaki.

For reservations please call us today on 03 9841 9889 or visit here for bookings and enquiries.