Wagyu Made by Wagyu – Sensational Japanese Innovation

The Competitive Exhibition of Wagyu is a national competition where the best Wagyu cattle from all over Japan assemble once every five years and their improvement and their excellence are evaluated.

About 500 representative cattle from all over Japan join this competition in two categories: the “Seed bull” category, in which bulls and cows are judged on the basis of their body shape and other improvement results by age in months, and the “Beef cattle” category, in which carcasses are judged on their meat quality, such as fat content. Each participant competes for the honour of their prefecture, as excellent results increase the market value of the Wagyu brand throughout Japan.

Particular Points We Got Creative

Pyramid: The meat was carefully cut so that each block would line up nicely, not to become uneven.

Ayers Rock: We auditioned to decide the meat parts that would be suitable for Ayers Rock.

Grand Canyon: We used various combinations of cuts and colours to create the distinctive cliff face and landscape.

Red Fuji: The beef was arranged to show the difference in expression between the top and the foot of the mountain, while carefully exploring the balance of the fatty parts.

*The MIYAZAKI WAGYU used during the video shoot was savoured by all the staff.

This year’s competition, the 12th, was held in Kagoshima Prefecture from October 6 (Thu.) to 10 (Mon.). At this year’s competition, MIYAZAKI WAGYU won the Prime Minister’s Award, the highest award in the beef cattle category, in Section 7 of the National Competitive Exhibition of Wagyu. There have been no wagyu brands other than MIYAZAKI WAGYU that won the highest award in four consecutive competitions. In Section 7 (fat quality evaluation group), which is a new criteria of the deliciousness of wagyu, the cattle are judged on the content of MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) such as oleic acid. MUFA is considered to be an indicator of new “deliciousness” of Wagyu beef, not just its sashi, since a higher amount of MUFA makes the meat more melt in the mouth and gives it a more pronounced aroma.

About MIYAZAKI WAGYU

MIYAZAKI WAGYU is a Japanese black cattle breed produced and raised in Miyazaki
Prefecture, with a meat quality grade of 4 or higher, graded by the Japan Meat Grading
Association, and is descended from a domestic bull or a bull designated for livestock
improvement. MIYAZAKI WAGYU” is registered as a regional collective trademark.

If you have any question or would like more information about this topic, please contact
Satoshi Shinjin / Yumi Sekiguchi at miyazaki-wagyu@catch-ball.co.jp.