Beef · Region
How to Choose and Buy Japanese A5 Wagyu
Seven prefectures, one grading scale, seven sets of rules.
Pick the cut and the portion before the prefecture. Any cut graded A5 scores BMS 8 to 12 on marbling, wherever in Japan it was raised. Plan 2 to 4 oz raw per person. It arrives frozen and vacuum-sealed in a box packed with dry ice. Check the 10-digit cattle ID to confirm the beef came from Japan.
In one line
Prefecture brands set their own rules for where cattle are raised and the lowest grade they accept. The A5 on your label tells you what you're eating.
Buy it if
You're ordering A5 for a dinner or a gift and want to know which prefecture, cut and weight to buy.
New to A5? Start with what Japanese Wagyu is and what the A5 grade measures.
How to choose Japanese Wagyu by prefecture
Japan has no national ranking of prefectures. Each prefecture brand writes its own rules: where the animal has to be raised, which bulls can sire it, what it eats, and the lowest grade allowed to carry the name. Those rules set a floor for the brand. The grade printed on your cut tells you where that cut landed, and once a cut grades A5, its marbling scores BMS 8 to 12, from Kagoshima or from Kobe.
| Prefecture | Known for | Feed / program |
|---|---|---|
| Kagoshima | Japan's largest Japanese Black herd; 2017 Wagyu Olympics overall team title | Kagoshima Kuroushi: raised longest and last in Kagoshima |
| Miyazaki | Top beef-cattle prize at four straight Wagyu Olympics | Miyazaki-gyu: raised in Miyazaki, quality grade 4+ |
| Hokkaido | Japan's northernmost prefecture | Japanese Black raised in Hokkaido |
| Kagawa (Olive) | 2017 Wagyu Olympics special prize for fat quality | Sanuki-gyu fed 100 g+ of dried olive pulp a day for 2+ months |
| Hyogo (Kobe) | Kobe beef | Tajima cattle; quality 4+, BMS 6+ |
| Iwate | 11 wins at Japan's national carcass show, the most of any brand | Iwate-gyu: raised longest and last in Iwate; quality 3+ |
| Nagano (Shinshu) | Certified on oleic acid as well as marbling | Shinshu Premium: BMS 5+ with 58% oleic acid, up to BMS 8+ with 52% |
The Wagyu Olympics (Zenkoku Wagyu Noryoku Kyoshinkai) runs every five years. Judges score groups of cattle bred under each prefecture's program, and Kagoshima won 6 of the 9 classes when it hosted in 2022. Miyazaki's winning carcasses in the 2022 fat-quality class averaged BMS 11.3 and an estimated 63.4% monounsaturated fat, the family of fats that includes oleic acid.
Olive Wagyu is Japanese Black cattle from Kagawa finished on dried olive pulp, the solids left after pressing olive oil.
How to choose A5 Wagyu by BMS
A5 covers BMS 8 through 12. How the A5 grade and the BMS scale work explains the scale. On the plate, a higher BMS means more white in the cross-section and richness that builds faster with each bite.
- First time, or A5 as one course of several: any A5 works. The lower end of the band, BMS 8 to 9, is easier to eat more of.
- You've had A5 and want the top of the scale: look for BMS 11 or 12.
- You want a steak you can finish by yourself: A5 is the wrong buy. Japanese A4 (BMS 5 to 7) or American or Australian Wagyu holds up to a full portion.
How to choose an A5 Wagyu cut
Every cut below is graded A5. What changes is the muscle, the shape and how many people it feeds.
- Ribeye holds several muscles separated by seams of fat, so no two slices eat the same. It is the richest of the steaks.
- New York strip is one main muscle. Slices come out even, which suits cooking strip by strip at the table.
- Filet mignon is the softest muscle and the least fatty of the A5 steaks. Our filets weigh 5 to 6 oz.
- Petite ribeye and petite striploin steaks weigh 4 oz each. Buy one if you are trying A5 for the first time.
- Striploin ends (8 to 9 oz) are the irregular pieces trimmed from A5 striploins. Cube or slice them.
- Shabu shabu (8 oz) comes sliced thin for hot pot or sukiyaki.
- Roasts (a 3.75-lb rib roast and a 4-lb strip roast) feed a crowd. Cook them with a reverse sear.
How much A5 Wagyu to buy per person
Plan 2 to 4 oz raw a person: 2 oz when A5 is one course, 4 oz when it is the main event.
- A 4-oz petite steak feeds 1 or 2.
- An 8-oz pack of shabu shabu or striploin ends feeds 2 to 4.
- A 12-oz ribeye or strip feeds 3 to 6.
- A steak trio (36 to 39 oz) feeds 9 to 18.
Most of our A5 steaks are cut 3/4 inch thick, the Japanese style, which suits the 60-second sear A5 gets on each side.
How A5 Wagyu ships and how to store it
Each cut ships frozen in its own vacuum seal, packed in an insulated box with dry ice. Put it in the freezer when it arrives.
To cook it, move the steak from the freezer to the fridge a full day ahead. Don't cook A5 from frozen: a 3/4-inch steak spends about two minutes in the pan, and the center won't thaw in that time. How to cook A5 Wagyu walks through the thaw, the sear and the slice.
How to check Japanese Wagyu is real
Every head of cattle raised in Japan carries a 10-digit individual ID on its ear tag. Japan's National Livestock Breeding Center runs a public lookup that returns the animal's sex, breed, where it was raised and when it was slaughtered.
At a glance
| Grade | A5, which covers BMS 8 to 12 |
|---|---|
| Graded by | Japan Meat Grading Association |
| Portion | 2 to 4 oz raw per person |
| Steak thickness | 3/4 inch, Japanese style |
| Arrives | Frozen, vacuum-sealed, insulated box with dry ice |
| Thaw | In the fridge, a full day |
| Traceability | 10-digit individual cattle ID |
| Ships to | US, except Alaska and Hawaii |
Myths
What people get wrong
A prefecture name on the label means A5.
The brand and the grade are separate. Several prefecture brands accept beef graded 3 or 4. Read the grade on the cut.
Kobe is the most marbled Wagyu.
Kobe's floor is BMS 6, which grades 4. An A5 cut from any prefecture starts at BMS 8. Kobe is a brand with strict rules on bloodline and region.
An award-winning prefecture means an award-winning steak.
Wagyu Olympics judges score groups of show cattle bred under a prefecture's program, once every five years. The prize rates the program. Your steak comes from one animal in it.
Olive Wagyu is its own breed.
Olive Wagyu is Japanese Black cattle from Kagawa, fed dried olive pulp for at least two months before shipment. The feed is what sets it apart.
How Crowd Cow sources it
Our Japanese Wagyu comes from ranch partners in Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Hokkaido, plus Olive Wagyu from Kagawa, and Kobe, Iwate and Shinshu when we can get it. Every listing names the prefecture and the grade.
Questions
Common questions
Which prefecture produces the best A5 Wagyu?
No official body ranks them. An A5 cut scores BMS 8 to 12 wherever it was raised, so the grade evens the field. Choose the cut and the portion you need, then pick among the prefectures in stock.
How does A5 Wagyu compare with USDA Prime?
USDA Prime starts at about 10% fat. A5 ribeye runs 40% fat and up, and the show cattle at the 2022 Wagyu Olympics averaged 50.2% crude fat in the ribeye. That's why A5 works in 2- to 4-oz portions and Prime works as a 12-oz steak.
How long does A5 Wagyu keep in the freezer?
FoodSafety.gov advises 4 to 12 months for frozen steaks, for quality. Beef kept at 0°F stays safe beyond that. Leave the vacuum seal on until you thaw it. Once thawed in the fridge, cook it within 3 to 5 days.
Do I need to be home when A5 Wagyu is delivered?
No. The box is packed with enough dry ice to keep everything frozen for hours after it lands on your doorstep. Move it to the freezer when you get home.
Does Crowd Cow ship A5 Wagyu to Alaska or Hawaii?
No. We ship everywhere in the US except Alaska and Hawaii.
Can I buy Kobe beef from Crowd Cow?
When we have a lot. Kobe, Iwate and Shinshu come in small allocations and sell through, and each ranch page lists a new lot when it arrives.
Count the ounces, then the guests
From 4-oz petite steaks to a 4-lb strip roast. Each card names the prefecture and the grade.
Japanese A5 Wagyu Filet Mignon Steak
Japanese A5 Wagyu Petite Striploin Steak
Japanese A5 Wagyu Whole Striploin Roast
Japanese A5 Wagyu Striploin Ends
