WAGYU BEEF GUIDE JAPAN

Cuts

Master the anatomy of Wagyu. Discover the perfect grilling time and seasoning for every cut to elevate your Yakiniku experience.

AkamiView Details

Akami

The soul of the beef. Pure, lean red meat primarily from the thigh, offering a profound, earthy, and iron-rich umami experience.

Grill: Strictly Rare or Medium-Rare. Very fast sear. Do not overcook, as the lack of fat will cause the meat to become tough.Master This Cut→
ChateaubriandView Details

Chateaubriand

The absolute pinnacle of luxury. The exact center of the tenderloin, yielding less than 1kg per cow. Astounding fork-tender texture.

Grill: Slow roast. Requires low, radiant heat and frequent resting to gently warm the thick center without burning the outside.Master This Cut→
Gyutan (Beef Tongue)View Details

Gyutan (Beef Tongue)

The defining ritual of Japanese Yakiniku. The thick, premium base of the tongue (Toku-jo) delivers an addictive crunchy texture followed by melting richness.

Grill: Medium. Thick slices must be grilled on high heat until the edges curl and the surface develops a crispy, savory golden-brown crust.Master This Cut→
Harami (Outside Skirt)View Details

Harami (Outside Skirt)

The undisputed king of Yakiniku flavor. Technically an internal organ (the diaphragm), this heavily exercised muscle delivers profound, iron-rich, gamey umami.

Grill: Medium to Medium-Well. Grill aggressively on high heat to build a thick, charred crust, then rest to allow heat to penetrate the coarse fibers.Master This Cut→
Ichibo (Aitchbone / Picanha)View Details

Ichibo (Aitchbone / Picanha)

The elegant bridge between pure fat and profound red meat. Located at the top of the rump, featuring a thick, sweet fat cap over fine-grained, tender muscle.

Grill: Rare to Medium-Rare. Render the outer fat cap thoroughly until crispy, but quickly sear the delicate red meat to preserve its tenderness.Master This Cut→
Kainomi (Flap Meat)View Details

Kainomi (Flap Meat)

The ultimate hybrid cut. Sitting exactly where the rib meets the tenderloin, it perfectly balances extreme velvety softness with rich, deep beef flavor.

Grill: Medium-Rare to Medium. Best served in thick cubes and rolled slowly over moderate heat until the internal fat renders into a soft, bursting pillow.Master This Cut→
Kurimi (Shoulder Clod)View Details

Kurimi (Shoulder Clod)

The ultimate amino acid test. A heavily worked, highly muscular cut from the foreleg that delivers the absolute purest, most intense expression of beef umami.

Grill: Blue Rare to Rare. Must be sliced extremely thin and flash-seared for only 2-3 seconds per side to prevent the dense, lean muscle from drying out.Master This Cut→
MisujiView Details

Misuji

The phantom of the shoulder. A rare, leaf-shaped cut known for its sweet marbling and a central tendon that melts into rich gelatin when grilled.

Grill: Rare to Medium-Rare. Very fast sear to melt the central tendon without overcooking the delicate meat.Master This Cut→
Ribeye (Ribulose)View Details

Ribeye (Ribulose)

The King of Marbling. The absolute pinnacle of fat accumulation and tenderness, creating a dramatic, fiery grilling experience.

Grill: Medium-Rare. The extreme fat will cause massive flames; use this fire to scorch the outside while keeping the center red and warm.Master This Cut→
RumpView Details

Rump

The zenith of lean meat (Akami). Incredibly tender with a profound, unadulterated red meat flavor and elegant marbling.

Grill: Medium-Rare is strictly required. High heat sear on both sides, then rest.Master This Cut→
Sagari (Hanging Tender)View Details

Sagari (Hanging Tender)

The phantom rib. An incredibly rare, thick, and dense cut from the diaphragm that delivers the absolute peak of gamey, primal beef flavor.

Grill: Medium-Rare to Medium. Must be grilled as a thick block, searing the outside aggressively before resting to allow the dense core to warm up slowly.Master This Cut→
Sankaku-Bara (Chuck Rib / Premium Karubi)View Details

Sankaku-Bara (Chuck Rib / Premium Karubi)

The King of Karubi. The most highly marbled cut of chuck rib, offering a majestic white spiderweb pattern of fat, intensive sweetness, and a buttery melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Grill: 10-15 seconds per side. Quickly sear under high heat to render the beautiful fat layer into a caramelized crust.Master This Cut→
Shimochou (Large Intestine / Striped Horumon)View Details

Shimochou (Large Intestine / Striped Horumon)

The king of Horumon (offal) featuring a thick striped muscular skin and a rich, sweet monounsaturated fat cushion that melts on the grill.

Grill: 2-3 minutes. Grill slowly over medium-high heat with skin-side down until crispy, then flash sear fat-side for 10 seconds.Master This Cut→
Shin-Shin (Knuckle Center / Round)View Details

Shin-Shin (Knuckle Center / Round)

The Empress of Lean. The absolute center of the knuckle, featuring an exceptionally fine-grained, lean muscle structure, velvety tenderness, and a clean, pure beef flavor.

Grill: Strictly Rare or Medium-Rare. Briefly sear, about 20-30 seconds per side. Overcooking will make this lean cut tough.Master This Cut→
SirloinView Details

Sirloin

The undisputed King of Beef. Intensely marbled, incredibly tender, with a profound Wagyu aroma.

Grill: Yaki-Shabu style: 3-5 seconds per side. Thick steak: Intense, fast sear for a deep crust.Master This Cut→
Special Mino (Premium Tripe / Rumen)View Details

Special Mino (Premium Tripe / Rumen)

The Emperor of Horumon. The thickest, most tender center part of the first stomach, offering a scallop-like clean flavor and a deeply satisfying, crunchy texture.

Grill: 2-3 minutes. Grill slowly over medium-high heat until the slits curl and open, achieving a perfect golden crisp outside.Master This Cut→
Tatebara (Plate Finger / Short Rib)View Details

Tatebara (Plate Finger / Short Rib)

The lower part of the short rib, offering extremely rich marbling, high fat sweetness, and a buttery melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Grill: 10-15 seconds per side. Quickly sear under high heat to render the beautiful fat layer into a caramelized crust.Master This Cut→
Togarashi (Chuck Tender)View Details

Togarashi (Chuck Tender)

The Juicy Revelation. A highly prized chuck shoulder cut resembling a chili pepper, packed with rich meat juices and a deeply satisfying, robust beefy umami.

Grill: 30 seconds per side. Grill to Medium-Rare to lock in the intense meat juices.Master This Cut→
Tomo-Sankaku (Tri-Tip)View Details

Tomo-Sankaku (Tri-Tip)

The hidden gem of the hind leg. A miraculous triangular cut that develops extreme leaf-like marbling within a massive block of lean round muscle.

Grill: Rare (Flash Sear). For highly marbled A5, sear for only 3-5 seconds per side to melt the fat. For lean Ibusana, slow roast over a wood fire.Master This Cut→
Uchi-Momo (Top Round / Inside Round)View Details

Uchi-Momo (Top Round / Inside Round)

The leanest prime cut from the thigh, packed with high concentrations of iron and amino acids, presenting fine sashi (marbling) in a dense beefy texture.

Grill: Strictly Rare or Medium-Rare. Briefly sear, about 20-30 seconds per side. Overcooking will make this lean cut tough.Master This Cut→
ZabutonView Details

Zabuton

The cushion of the shoulder. Known for having the most intense, densely packed marbling of any shoulder cut, offering an incredibly plush, melting texture.

Grill: Very fast sear (Yaki-Shabu style). Must not be overcooked to preserve the delicate, melting fat.Master This Cut→