Is Wagyu Beef the Same as Kobe Beef?
Yes and no. All Kobe beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu is Kobe. To earn the appellation of Kobe beef, the cattle must be raised in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture and its production must conform to standards imposed within that region. Beef production in Japan is, in some ways, similar to wine production in France. Just as the regions Paulliac, Medoc, and others produce different wines under specific appellations, the Japanese have several regions, or prefectures, where beef is produced. Kobe beef is produced in Hyogo Prefecture, while the beef from Mie Prefecture is called Matsuzaka and beef from Shiga Prefecture is Omi. Each of these areas uses the legendary beer-massage practices associated with Kobe, but style and specifics vary from prefecture to prefecture. Regardless of where in Japan the cattle are raised, the common element in all of these types of Japanese beef is the Wagyu breed of cattle. Because of the scarcity and expense of open land and the high price of grain in Japan, Wagyu c
