Breed and grade
A4 Wagyu vs A5 Wagyu
The short answer
One quality grade apart. Both are Japanese beef graded by the JMGA: the letter is yield, the number is quality. A5 requires a marbling score of BMS 8 to 12, A4 BMS 5 to 7, and A3 BMS 3 to 4. A5 is richer and best in 2- to 4-ounce portions; A4 holds up as a full steak.
A4 Wagyu
Yield grade A, quality grade 4, marbling BMS 5 to 7. Still far richer than anything on the American grading scale, with enough lean between the fat to eat as a normal steak. The grade is a floor on every score, not a marbling number, so ask for the BMS if the seller has it.
A5 Wagyu
Top yield grade and top quality grade, with marbling from BMS 8 to 12. That band is wide: a BMS 8 and a BMS 12 are both honestly A5 and don't eat the same, so ask for the number. A5 ribeye runs 40% fat and up, which is why 2 to 4 ounces a person is a portion. Cook it on a hot, dry pan, about 60 seconds a side, salt only.
Side by side
| A4 Wagyu | A5 Wagyu | |
|---|---|---|
| Graded by | Japan Meat Grading Association, carcass by carcass | Japan Meat Grading Association, carcass by carcass |
| The letter (yield) | A, above standard | A, above standard |
| The number (quality) | 4 | 5, the top |
| Marbling (BMS 1 to 12) | 5 to 7 | 8 to 12 |
| What sets the number | The lowest of four sub-scores | All four sub-scores must reach 5 |
| Portion | A full steak | 2 to 4 oz per person, sliced and shared |
The verdict
Which one to buy
A5 for a shared course or a first taste: buy 2 to 4 ounces a person, ask for the BMS, and serve it sliced. A4 if you want a Japanese Wagyu steak you can finish on your own. We sell Japanese A5, from 4-ounce petite steaks to steak trios, and we don't have A4 listed right now. If what you want is a full steak with Wagyu marbling, our American and Australian Wagyu is the closer match.
A Japanese beef grade reads as one code but carries two separate measurements, and the difference between A4 and A5 sits in the second one.
The letter and the number
The letter is the yield grade, how much saleable meat the carcass gave against a reference standard. A is above standard, B is standard, C is below. A4 and A5 share the A, so the letter tells you nothing here.
The number is the quality grade, 1 to 5. Graders score four things: marbling, meat color and brightness, firmness and texture, and fat color and quality. The grade is the lowest of the four, not the average, so one weak score caps the whole carcass.
Where the BMS comes in
Marbling is scored on the Beef Marbling Standard, BMS 1 to 12, read on the cut face between the sixth and seventh rib. Quality grade 5 needs BMS 8 or higher. Grade 4 covers BMS 5 to 7, and grade 3 covers BMS 3 to 4.
Because the grade takes the lowest sub-score, a carcass can score BMS 9 for marbling and still grade A4 if its meat color scored a 4. And an A4 at BMS 7 sits one step from an A5 at BMS 8. The two grades meet at their edges, which is why the BMS number is worth asking for.
Where A3 fits
A3 is quality grade 3, BMS 3 to 4, the entry point for graded Japanese beef. Several prefecture brands accept beef graded 3 or 4, so a prefecture name on the label doesn't promise A5. Read the grade on the cut.
On the plate
A higher BMS means more white in the cross-section and richness that builds faster with each bite. That is the reason A5 is served in thin slices and small portions while A4 holds up as a steak.
More on the system: what A5 and the BMS scale measure, what Japanese Wagyu is, and how to choose and buy A5.
Common questions
Is A5 better than A4?
It is more marbled, which isn't the same thing. A4 eats as a full steak. A5 is richest in small slices, seared hard and shared. Which is better depends on whether you want a steak dinner or a few bites of something very rich.
What does A3 Wagyu mean?
Yield grade A, quality grade 3, marbling BMS 3 to 4. It is graded Japanese beef at the lower end of the scale, and some prefecture brands accept it. Ask for the grade on the cut, since a prefecture name alone doesn't tell you.
Is Kobe beef always A5?
No. Kobe requires quality grade 4 or higher and BMS 6 or higher, so a Kobe steak can grade A4. Kobe is a brand with rules on bloodline and region; the grade is a separate measurement taken on each carcass.
Can an A4 have more marbling than an A5?
Yes. A carcass with BMS 9 marbling grades A4 if its color or texture scored a 4, and that steak out-marbles an A5 at BMS 8. The BMS number tells you the marbling directly.
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A4 Wagyu
Yield grade A, quality grade 4, marbling BMS 5 to 7. Still far richer than anything on ...
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A5 Wagyu
Top yield grade and top quality grade, with marbling from BMS 8 to 12. That band is wid...
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