Regional brand · Tokushima
Mitsuboshi Wagyu
Tokushima Prefecture's Mitsuboshi Wagyu brand.
- Region
- Tokushima, Shikoku
- Breed
- Japanese Black and crossbred
- Standard
- Governor-sealed, JGAP-certified
- Tiers
- Gold Star and Silver Star
Three-star beef
Mitsuboshi, which means "three star," is a certification brand from Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, marketed as one of Japan's first JGAP-certified Wagyu programs. Rather than a single farm, it is a prefectural standard: qualifying beef carries a certificate stamped with the prefectural governor's seal.
The brand has two tiers. Gold Star is Japanese Black meeting the higher grades and marbling scores at a minimum age, while Silver Star covers qualifying crossbred cattle at a slightly lower bar. In both cases the cattle must be raised on a certified Tokushima ranch.
Where to eat it1
Common questions
- What does the Mitsuboshi certificate guarantee?
- It certifies that the beef comes from a JGAP-certified ranch in Tokushima and meets the brand's grade, marbling, and age requirements, verified with a certificate bearing the prefectural governor's seal. Gold Star is the top Japanese Black tier; Silver Star covers qualifying crossbred cattle.
Looking for the U.S. ranches that raise Wagyu? See the farms · The Kobe list · How to spot authentic Wagyu