Kobe Beef is one of top grade beef in Japan. Japanese Kobe Beef is well marbled and very tender. Japanese Kobe Beef is raised in Hyogo prefecture, Japan. There are mainly four breeds in wa-gyu (wa means Japanese and gyu means cattle): Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn. Japanese Kobe Beef is from Tajima-ushi, which is one of Japanese Black. Tajima-ushi are fed on natural feed such as barley, wheat bran, and grass, and good water in Tajima region. Among Tajima-ushi, beef which meet special criteria become Kobe Beef. The beef must be ranked in Grade A or B with fat BMS number 6 and over by Japanese Association of Meat Ranking. It's said that only 3000-4000 Kobe Beef are available per year in Japan. Kobe Beef usually costs over $100 per pound in Japan.
Kobe Beef in the US is crossbred in American cattles and wagyu and raised in the US. It tends to be less expensive than Japanese Kobe Beef.
In Japan, Kobe Beef is eaten as Sukiyaki, Steak, Shabu Shabu, Teppanyaki Japanese BBQ, and more. If you are visiting Japan, go to a Kobe Beef restaurant and try the delicious food.
