JAPAN’S BEST WAGYU is run by a committee of people deeply embedded in the wagyu and yakiniku world. Led by chair Takayuki Toriyama of Wagyu Journal, and drawing on producers, chefs and journalists, the panel brings a range of perspectives to the task of identifying Japan’s very best.
WAGYU JOURNAL
Founder of Wagyu Journal. A food influencer who eats his way through more than 300 wagyu and yakiniku meals a year, and the owner of the dining community NIKUKAI.
Committee members eat their way through wagyu and yakiniku restaurants across Japan throughout the year. Each member scores independently, from the perspective of their own field, and the final ranking is decided by bringing those assessments together.
Deliberations during the selection process are recorded but never published. This is what keeps the process fair to every restaurant and protects the independence of the selection.