Miyazaki-Gyu Wagyu

Wagyu Steak from Japan: Exceptionally Marbled

A Wagyu steak is visually distinct from many classic steak cuts. Its intense marbling is a defining characteristic: fine veins of fat run through the lean meat, creating a particularly rich mouthfeel when cooked.

At Kreutzers, you’ll find authentic Japanese Miyazaki Wagyu in a variety of cuts. The current selection includes, among others, Wagyu filet, entrecôte, ribeye, roast beef, roast beef slices, and rump. The Miyazaki Wagyu cuts offered are graded with a Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) of 8–9.

Especially with such pronounced marbling, the rule is: a good Wagyu steak doesn’t have to be particularly large. Smaller portions are often sufficient because the combination of meat and fat creates a significantly more intense flavor experience than with a lean steak.

Miyazaki Wagyu – Originating in Japan

The Miyazaki Wagyu offered at Kreutzers—also known technically as Miyazaki-Gyu Wagyu—comes from the Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan.

Miyazaki Beef is clearly defined there: It must come from Japanese Black cattle that were bred and raised in Miyazaki Prefecture. Additionally, there are requirements regarding pedigree and meat quality. Only meat with a Japanese quality grade of at least 4 meets the requirements for the protected designation. Miyazaki Beef is also registered in Japan as a regional brand and a geographical indication.

How can you recognize authentic Japanese Wagyu?

On the international market, “Wagyu” does not automatically mean that the cattle were born and raised in Japan. Wagyu cattle are now also bred in Germany, Australia, the U.S., and other countries.

That’s why the Universal Wagyu Mark exists for authentic Japanese Wagyu. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture describes it as a label for authentic Wagyu originating from Japan. The Japanese traceability system also allows for verification of lineage and origin.

If you specifically want to buy a Japanese Wagyu steak, you should therefore pay attention not only to the term “Wagyu” but also to the specific country of origin.

Award-Winning Wagyu from Miyazaki

Miyazaki Wagyu holds a special status even within Japan. At the national Wagyu exhibition, Miyazaki has been honored across multiple competitions. The official Miyazaki Wagyu Council cites four consecutive wins of the Prime Minister’s Award.

These accolades explain why Miyazaki is now considered one of Japan’s internationally renowned Wagyu regions.

What does BMS 8–9 mean for a Wagyu steak?

Marbling is one of the most striking characteristics of a Wagyu steak. In Japan, it is evaluated using the Beef Marbling Standard, or BMS for short.

The scale ranges from BMS 1 to BMS 12. The higher the number, the more pronounced the visible fat marbling within the lean meat. BMS 8 through 12 falls within the highest marbling category of the Japanese quality rating system.

The Miyazaki Wagyu steaks at Kreutzers are currently offered with a BMS of 8–9.

BMS	Marbling
1–2	low marbling
3–4	moderate marbling
5–7	pronounced marbling
8–12	Very strong marbling

Important: The BMS specifically evaluates fat marbling. The complete Japanese meat quality rating system also takes into account meat color, firmness, and texture, as well as the color and quality of the fat.

Which Wagyu steak is right for you?

Even within Wagyu, individual cuts vary. Not every cut offers the same combination of meat structure and fat.

Wagyu Cut	Characteristics	Particularly suitable for
Filet	Exceptionally tender and finely grained	Small, exceptionally tender steak portions
Entrecôte / Ribeye	Heavily marbled and juicy	An intense Wagyu experience
Roast beef	balanced ratio of meat to fat	Steak, Pan-Fried, Teppanyaki
Roast Beef Slices	thinly sliced	Quick, very hot searing
Rump	more pronounced meaty flavor	Steak and Teppanyaki

Wagyu tenderloin: maximum tenderness

Beef tenderloin is already one of the most tender cuts due to its fine muscle fibers. Miyazaki Wagyu adds a high level of intramuscular marbling to this.

If you’d like to compare different filet cuts, you’ll find additional varieties at Kreutzers under “Beef Filet.”

Wagyu Ribeye: Intense Marbling

The entrecôte, or ribeye, is already known for its fat marbling even in conventional beef. Combined with the already pronounced marbling of Wagyu, this results in a particularly rich cut.

You can find more ribeye and entrecôte steaks from various origins under “Entrecôte.”

Wagyu Roast Beef and Round

Roast beef offers a different balance between meat texture and fat than ribeye. At Kreutzers, Miyazaki Wagyu is available both as 200-g roast beef and as thinly sliced roast beef. The rump is another alternative if you’d like to try a different cut of Japanese Wagyu.

You can find other roast beef varieties in the Roast Beef category.

How to Cook Wagyu Steak Properly

You shouldn’t treat a heavily marbled Wagyu steak from Japan the same way you would a large, comparatively lean steak. Due to its high fat content, smaller portions and shorter cooking times are often sufficient.

When preparing it, you can follow these guidelines:

1. Cut the Wagyu into smaller steak portions or strips.
2. Heat a heavy skillet or teppanyaki griddle thoroughly.
3. Sear the meat briefly on both sides.
4. Additional oil is usually not necessary for heavily marbled cuts.
5. Season sparingly so that the meat’s natural flavor takes center stage.
6. It’s better to enjoy several small pieces one after another than to serve a single, very large steak.

Thin Wagyu slices are also ideal for cooking on a hot surface for just a few seconds or very briefly.

Strong marinades or overpowering BBQ sauces aren’t necessary with Miyazaki Wagyu. Salt and, if desired, a little pepper are enough if you want to bring out the meat’s natural flavor.

Wagyu, Kobe, and Miyazaki: What’s the Difference?

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing.

Wagyu refers to specific Japanese cattle breeds. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture lists Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled, as well as defined crossbreeds of these breeds.

Miyazaki Wagyu, on the other hand, refers to Wagyu with specified origin and quality requirements from Miyazaki Prefecture.

Kobe beef is also Wagyu, but it has its own specific criteria for origin and quality. Kobe is therefore not a synonym for Wagyu. A Miyazaki Wagyu steak is not a Kobe steak—they belong to different Japanese brands of origin.

Comparing Japanese and German Wagyu

Wagyu is now also raised outside of Japan. This allows you to compare different styles of Wagyu.

Japanese Miyazaki Wagyu is characterized in particular by its very pronounced marbling and clearly defined origin. Wagyu from Germany, on the other hand, offers a different interplay of breeding, feeding, origin, and meat characteristics.

If you’d like to try both, you’ll find both Miyazaki Wagyu and German Wagyu at Kreutzers.

A wider selection of different beef origins and cattle breeds is available under Beef. If you’re looking for steak cuts regardless of breed, you’ll find additional products in the Steaks category.

Order Wagyu Steak Online

Ordering a Miyazaki Wagyu steak online is especially appealing if you’re specifically looking to try an exceptionally well-marbled steak cut.

At Kreutzers, you can choose from various Miyazaki Wagyu cuts from Japan—ranging from the exceptionally tender filet to the intensely marbled ribeye, as well as roast beef and rump. The cuts currently available are rated BMS 8–9.

Choose your cut based on your preferred meat texture and marbling, and plan on serving smaller portions. This way, the focus remains squarely on what makes a Japanese Wagyu steak so special: the intense marbling, the tender texture, and the exceptionally rich flavor experience.