Omi (Ohmi) Beef Wagyu

Omi beef (also written Ohmi), from Shiga Prefecture around Lake Biwa, is frequently described as the oldest branded Wagyu in Japan, with a history stretching back some four centuries. In the Edo period, when eating meat was largely taboo, Omi beef was preserved and presented to the shogunate as a health-giving tonic, one of the few sanctioned exceptions.

Alongside Kobe and Matsusaka, Omi is usually counted among the "three great" Wagyu, although there is no official list and the third position is sometimes given to Yonezawa instead.

Omi producer and promotion materials emphasize fine marbling, soft fat, and a delicate texture. Those are brand and sensory descriptions, not one measured melting-point threshold for every carcass. The Lake Biwa basin's water and climate are also central to the region's marketing identity.