Sources & limits
Where this comes from
Everything on this site is drawn from four Japanese-language books, summarized and explained in original English. It is an independent project, not affiliated with any brand body, breeders' association or government agency.
The four books
| Short cite | Book | What it contributes |
|---|---|---|
| Enoki 2008 | 榎 勇『但馬牛のいま ― 全国の黒毛和牛を変えた名牛』 Sairyusha, February 2008. ISBN 4779113261. | Tajima history, tsuru, sire lines, influence on other prefectures, the three great brands, inbreeding. Data mostly from 2004–2006, so treat it as history. |
| Handbook 2021 | 『銘柄牛肉ハンドブック2021』 Shokuniku Tsushinsha, March 2021. ISBN 9784879881489. | Breed notes, grading explanation, brand rules. Compiled from questionnaires, not exhaustive. |
| Schatzker | Mark Schatzker, 『ステーキ！ 世界一の牛肉を探す旅』 (Japanese translation by Miyuki Noguchi), Chuko Bunko, January 2015. ISBN 4122060656. | A traveller's first-person account: myths tested in Matsusaka, eating A3–A5, marbling versus flavour. Anecdotes, not surveys. |
| Yamamoto 2017 | 山本謙治 責任編集『完全理解 熟成肉バイブル』 Shibata Shoten MOOK, September 2017. ISBN 4388808717. | Breeds versus "domestic beef", breed × feed × rearing, the science of aging (with Kenichiro Shimada), dry aging versus wet aging versus hanging. |
What this site is not
- Not a restaurant guide. No listings, prices or menus. The books do not provide current ones, and we will not invent them.
- Not current regulation. Brand rules are as printed in 2021 or earlier, and figures from Enoki are about two decades old.
- Not a guide to certification marks. The books mention certificates and traceability but do not explain how to verify them today.
- Not official naming. English brand and breed names here are working labels, and sire names are working romanizations of Japanese.
- Not legal or import advice, including on how countries outside Japan label "Wagyu".
Method
The books were read from scanned copies, focusing on the chapters about Japanese Black, Tajima, brands, grading and aging. Some figures were read from printed tables and may contain transcription errors. Corrections are welcome.