Regional brand · Hyogo
Tajima Beef Wagyu
Hyogo's Tajima-gyu, the closed-herd Japanese Black bloodline behind Kobe beef and much of Japan's Wagyu.
- Region
- Hyogo (Tajima region)
- Breed
- Japanese Black, Tajima strain
- Role
- The bloodline behind Kobe
- Character
- Small-framed, fine marbling
Where to eat it3
Where to buy it2
Holy Grail Steak Co.
Japanese A5 (Kobe, Ogata, Omi, Takamori, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Sendai), American (Tajima, Akaushi), Australian (Carrara)
Authentic Wagyu
American (100% Fullblood Tajima), Japanese A5
The bloodline behind Kobe
Tajima-gyu is a strain of Japanese Black associated with the mountainous Tajima region of northern Hyogo Prefecture. Hyogo's breeding history and closed-herd controls are central to the lineage. Producer and breed descriptions characterize Tajima cattle as relatively small-framed with fine marbling, but lineage alone does not establish a carcass grade.
Tajima lines have influenced Japanese Black herds and other regional brands. That shared ancestry does not make beef from another prefecture Kobe.
Tajima and Kobe are not the same
All Kobe beef is Tajima beef, but not all Tajima beef is Kobe. Kobe is the qualifying subset: eligible Tajima cattle born, raised, and slaughtered in Hyogo must reach BMS 6 or higher, meat quality grade 4 or 5, and yield grade A or B, among the association's other criteria. Tajima beef that does not qualify can still be sold as Tajima beef.
The Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association is the authority for the designation and its official registry. WagyuSpot's narrower restaurant badge requires both a registry match and Kobe on the venue's current menu; Tajima ancestry alone does not earn it.
How to order it with confidence
Look for the Hyogo origin and the Tajima name with a Japanese grade. If a seller claims Kobe, it should be able to point to the official registry, not just to Tajima genetics.
Common questions
- Is Tajima beef the same as Kobe beef?
- No. Tajima-gyu is the Japanese Black bloodline from Hyogo. Kobe is the certified subset: Tajima cattle raised in Hyogo that meet a strict marbling and grade standard. All Kobe is Tajima, but not all Tajima is Kobe.
- Why are Tajima cattle special?
- Hyogo kept a closed herd for over a century, preserving the strain. The cattle are smaller-framed with exceptionally fine marbling, and their genetics underpin a large share of Japanese Wagyu, including brands like Matsusaka and Omi.
Looking for the U.S. ranches that raise Wagyu? See the farms · The Kobe list · How to spot authentic Wagyu