Everything to Know About A5 Kobe Beef and the Best Kobe Beef Restaurants in Kobe, Japan
Kobe beef has long been renowned for its rarity, flavor, marbling, and tenderness and it is known as some of the highest-quality beef on the market. If you happen to be visiting Japan it is worth splurging for the best steak in Kobe!
What is Kobe Beef?
In Japan, there are many types of high-quality wagyu you can try but the most famous is Kobe. Kobe beef is a type of Wagyu beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese black cattle. It is raised around Kobe city in the Hyogo Prefecture thus giving it its namesake. The reason Kobe beef is so rare to find outside of Japan is that it follows extremely strict rules. To be considered Kobe beef it must meet all of the following requirements:
- The cattle must be Tajima cattle born in the Hyogo Prefecture.
- They must be either a heifer or bullock with a carcass weight of 499.9 kg or less.
- Cattle must be farm-fed in the Hyogo Prefecture.
- Processed in a slaughterhouse in one of five cities in the Hyogo Prefecture.
- BMS marbling ratio at a level 6 or above.
- Has a meat quality score of 4 or 5 with a yield grade of A or B
Because of these regulations, only 0.06% of all beef consumed in Japan is considered Kobe beef. To put it simply, all Kobe beef comes from Wagyu cattle but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe so if you were to see a restaurant outside of Japan stating they have Wagyu, it simply means that the meat comes from a Japanese cow, but does not mean it is Kobe beef.
Kobe Beef Grading System
You might be wondering, how is Wagyu beef graded? Well, it is through two main categories, the yield grade using a letter system, and the quality grade, using a number system.
The yield grade is from the cutability of the beef and refers to the amount of meat that can be obtained. It is calculated by estimating the percentage of boneless, closely trimmed cuts. Letter grades rank from A to C, A being the best.
- Grade A: Above Standard
- Grade B: Standard
- Grade C: Below Standard
The quality grade is determined by four different factors: the color and brightness of the meat, quality of fat, marbling of fat, ratio of fat to lean meat, and firmness and texture of the meat. Once these have been assessed the meat then receives a number ranking between 1-5, 5 being the best.
- 5: Excellent
- 4: Good
- 3: Average
- 2: Below average
- 1: Poor
Each of these factors is equally important for determining the level and quality of a cut of Japanese wagyu but there is one additional scoring that further determines the quality with more precision. This scoring system is called the Marbling Score (BMS) ranking from a range of 1-12, 12 being the highest. To be considered A5 Kobe beef the BMS score must rank at a 6 or above.
- 5: Excellent (8-12)
- 4: Good (5-7)
- 3: Average (3-4)
- 2: Below average (2)
- 1: Poor (2)
You might also like our complete guide to Japanese food.
Ways to Enjoy Kobe Beef
Kobe beef can be eaten in a variety of ways but the most traditional is teppanyaki style where it is seared on a flat top grill called a teppan. But it can also be enjoyed in dishes such as sukiyaki and shabu shabu, two of Japan’s hot pot dishes, and even as sashimi or nigiri sushi.
Where to Eat Kobe Beef
Tajima cows are now raised in Australia, the United States, and other countries but they cannot be considered Kobe beef since they don’t meet the requirements previously listed. It also isn’t as regulated outside of Japan so it is often marketed as “A5 Wagyu” to get a person’s attention.
As I said before, many restaurants around the world claim that they offer Kobe beef but most is not true Kobe beef. Think of it like champagne, it can only be called champagne if it comes from the Champagne Region of France and is made with grapes grown in that region. The same applies to Kobe beef.
With so many options for Kobe beef in Kobe, it can get a little confusing to pick the best Kobe beef restaurant. Especially when nearly every restaurant is marketing Kobe beef but many are not offering A5 quality or even A4 quality. So when in Japan, you should enjoy a true A5 Kobe beef restaurant!
When choosing a Kobe beef restaurant in Kobe you should consider the following:
- Look at reviews. Google reviews and TripAdvisor can be helpful but if you want to know where the locals go I recommend searching on Tabelog, a Japanese restaurant review site. But be aware that the restaurant rating system in Japan differs from what you might be used to. In Japan, most restaurants are rated at a 3. This shows room for improvement. It’s rare to see 4-star rated restaurants on Tabelog so look for 3.7 or higher when searching for restaurants.
- Look for a restaurant with a long history. When in doubt search for a Kobe beef restaurant that has a long history. Most of the famous Kobe beef restaurants in Kobe have over 75 years of experience!
- Certificate of Authenticity: All restaurants boasting quality Kobe beef should have a certificate of authenticity they provide when ordering your steak. This is presented so you can see the overall grade and origin of the A5 Kobe beef.
The Best Kobe Beef Restaurants in Kobe
There are many places to eat Kobe beef or A5 wagyu in Japan but here are some of the places I’d recommend as well as our favorite steak restaurant in Kobe.
- Kobe Teppan Steak Iwasaki: This restaurant serves A5 Kobe beef and A5 Japanese black beef. Only 13 counter seats are available inside the restaurant so you will get an intimate dining experience with the chef.
- Mouriya: This is the restaurant we picked for a Kobe steak experience. It started in 1885 and has since become a beloved symbol of Kobe dining. They serve A5 Kobe beef, A5 wagyu, and A4 wagyu. They also have over 100 kinds of wine to pair with your meal. Depending on the location you can make a reservation for a private room, table, or counter seat.
- Misono: Established in Kobe in 1945 this popular Kobe beef restaurant claims to be the world’s first teppanyaki restaurant. The original owner, Shigeji Fujioka, opened an okonomiyaki restaurant after WWII ended and started serving Tajima steak. It became so popular he decided to focus on providing customers with high-quality beef and coined the term teppanyaki. Additionally, they have locations in Tokyo and Kyoto. For those looking for halal Kobe beef, Misono serves it at their flagship store in Kobe. You can reserve the halal meal in advance here.
What to Expect At A Kobe Beef Restaurant
Each time we visit Japan we make a reservation at a yakiniku or teppanyaki restaurant and we’ve been floored by some of the best meals we’ve ever had. So when we visited Kobe we decided to go to a Kobe beef restaurant for Logan’s birthday. After looking at many places to go we settled on Mouriya which was established in 1885 and has been one of Kobe’s longstanding restaurants ever since.
Since we decided to visit a Kobe beef restaurant last minute we didn’t make a reservation. Fortunately, we were visiting at lunch on a weekday and they had an available table for us. However, I highly recommend making a reservation at any Kobe beef restaurant you visit to ensure you can get a table or counter seat.
After carefully looking at all of the lunch options, Logan selected an A5 Kobe fillet lunch set that included soup, salad, grilled vegetables, bread or rice (can be substituted for garlic rice for 1,000 yen), and coffee or tea.
Before the courses began the waiter brought out the fillet on a wooden board along with a certificate of authenticity sharing the origin of the cattle and cut rating. Once Logan approved it, the steak was given to the chef so he could begin cooking it on the teppanyaki grill. You can choose how you want your steak prepared or you can allow the chef to prepare it the way they see best.
While we waited we received our soup which was a rich and creamy tomato soup followed by a small salad that had some seasonal vegetables and a citrus dressing. At this point, the smell of the seared Kobe beef was beginning to make its way around us and Logan could hardly wait for the next course which was perfect because it was the steak.
It arrived on a plate perfectly cut into slices next to some seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, potatoes, and other root vegetables which were honestly more of a highlight than we thought they’d be. On the side, we also received some rice.
In front of the steak and vegetables were a few accompaniments to try with your steak. These were wasabi, sliced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Our waiter explained that it was best to first enjoy the steak by itself to taste only the flavor of the meat which was not previously seasoned with anything. Then he suggested trying it individually with each accompaniment to see how each one changes or adds to the flavor of the meat.
However, after Logan took his first bite he was floored by the tenderness and flavor stating that it truly didn’t need any of the additions. Of course, he tried them anyway, taking the smallest bite of steak with each and then savoring the rest on its own. It was so tender it nearly melted and hardly had to be chewed!
For those that don’t eat red meat but do eat seafood, I ordered scallops for my meal and I was shocked that they were some of the best scallops I’ve ever had. The scallops were plump and coated in herbed butter. The scallops were also served alongside some seasonal vegetables.
How Much Does it Cost to Try A5 Kobe Beef?
I won’t sugarcoat it, ordering A5 Kobe beef, no matter the restaurant you pick is going to be more expensive than other restaurants you’ve eaten at in Japan. The price will change based on the level, cut, and weight you pick but on average the cost is usually between 9,000 to 30,000 yen for a meal at a teppanyaki restaurant.
If you are on a budget but still want to experience A5 Kobe beef the least expensive time to visit Mouriya is at dinner and order their Set A menu which includes your selection of beef, a small appetizer, and grilled vegetables. Prices for Set A of the A5 Kobe beef start at ¥16,270 for a sirloin, ¥16,950 for a ribeye, and ¥17,580 for a fillet.
But if you are hungry, then I recommend visiting Mouriya for lunch because the lunch sets are often less expensive than the full dinner set. Prices for A5 Kobe at lunch start at ¥17,170 for a sirloin, ¥17,850 for a ribeye, and ¥18,480 for a fillet.
Check current Mouriya prices and menu
So, is trying A5 Kobe beef worth it? It depends. If you are someone who is a foodie who enjoys steak, you should try Kobe steak and cross this off your bucket list! If you aren’t someone who has the desire to try A5 Kobe beef then you will probably be satisfied with eating other Japanese beef that is still high quality at a yakiniku or teppanyaki restaurant. We really enjoyed our experience at Mouriya because it does have many options of A5 Kobe beef, high-quality wagyu, and seafood.
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