Wagyu is legally defined as four breeds: Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu), Japanese Brown (Akage Washu), Japanese Shorthorn (Nihon Tankaku) and Japanese Polled (Mukaku Washu). Only these breeds, or crosses between them, may be labelled wagyu.
Around 95% of the wagyu on the market is Japanese Black. Almost every famous branded wagyu, including Matsusaka, Kobe, Omi, Yonezawa, Saga and Miyazaki beef, comes from this breed. Its beautiful marbling and rich flavour have earned it a high reputation worldwide.
Japanese Brown (Akage Washu) is a red-coated wagyu raised mainly in Kumamoto and Kochi prefectures. There is a long tradition of raising it on pasture, and its defining quality is the umami of its lean meat. In recent years it has been rediscovered as a leaner, more wholesome wagyu that does not chase marbling.
Japanese Shorthorn was developed from native breeds of the Tohoku region and is raised mainly in Iwate, Aomori, Akita and Hokkaido. It is finished on pasture, and because the cattle move so much, its appeal lies in a firm, deeply savoury lean meat. It is a rare breed, accounting for less than 0.5% of all wagyu produced.
Japanese Polled is a rare breed centred on Yamaguchi Prefecture. Hornless, as its name suggests, it survives in tiny numbers. It offers a concentrated lean umami, and with only a few dozen head shipped each year it is extraordinarily scarce.
There are also crossbreds (F1), produced by mating wagyu with another type of cattle such as a dairy breed. Because they cannot legally be labelled wagyu, they are usually sold as "Kuroge Washu F1" or "dairy-cross F1". They are more affordable than pure wagyu.
Paying attention to breed opens up a whole new world of wagyu. If the marbling of Japanese Black starts to feel like too much, try the lean meat of Japanese Brown or Japanese Shorthorn. It is the quickest way to appreciate how varied wagyu culture really is.
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