More and more people are picking wagyu through furusato nozei, Japan's hometown tax donation scheme. Brand beef has become a staple among the thank-you gifts capped at 30% of the donation, and the appeal is obvious: high-grade wagyu for an effective out-of-pocket cost of 2,000 yen.
Matsusaka beef (Matsusaka, Mie), Kobe beef (municipalities in Hyogo), Omi beef (municipalities in Shiga), Yonezawa beef (Yonezawa, Yamagata), Saga beef (municipalities in Saga), Miyazaki beef (municipalities in Miyazaki) and Maesawa beef (Oshu, Iwate) - all are perennial favourites among wagyu thank-you gifts.
10,000 yen: 200-400g of brand-beef trimmings. 20,000 yen: 200-400g of brand-beef steak, or 400-600g of sukiyaki cuts. 30,000-50,000 yen: a premium brand-beef set, or around 1kg of shabu-shabu cuts. 100,000 yen and up: chateaubriand or a top-selection set.
Check the brand name, the grade, the cut and the weight on every listing, and read the reviews on the gift page too. Listings that use the full official designation - Tokusan Matsusaka Ushi for Matsusaka beef, or Kobe Beef for Kobe beef - are the safer bet.
Pay attention to when the beef actually ships. It commonly arrives anywhere from a few weeks to several months after your application is accepted. It usually comes frozen, so check the recommended thawing method as well.
Furusato nozei wagyu earns its keep at family dinners, New Year, Obon gatherings and as a treat for yourself. Some gifts let you specify the delivery window in advance, so it is worth planning around.
Furusato nozei applications pile up at the end of the year, and popular wagyu gifts can sell out early. Applying by November is the safe approach.