Why Is Japanese Kobe Beef So Expensive?

If you're a meat lover, chef, or foodie with a passion for protein, chances are you've heard of — and perhaps even savored — the world's most expensive cut of beef: Japanese Kobe beef. Renowned worldwide for its tenderness, flavor, and exquisite marbling, it's well-established as a favorite in fine dining establishments, but in recent years this prized cut of meat has become more accessible to home chefs. You likely won't find it in your grocery store's meat aisle, but you can order authentic Kobe beef online from Costco or even find it on Amazon — just be prepared to pay a hefty price for this prized cut of meat, which can cost up to $500 per pound (and be sure to cook with care so you don't make any mistakes ith your high-end steak!).

The high price tag of this luxury food item reflects the very specific conditions under which the cows are raised and the sought-after flavor and marbling of the meat. To qualify as Kobe beef, the meat must come exclusively from Japanese Black cattle of Tajima lineage and be raised in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan. But that's just the beginning. Before earning its certification and commanding its premium price, the beef must meet strict, non-negotiable requirements that set it apart from the average supermarket steak.

Kobe beef cattle grow up in an intentionally low-stress environment, with plenty of room to roam. Cows are fed high-quality grain and natural grasses to help them gain weight slowly and naturally which plays an important role in developing the coveted marbling that makes the meat so famous. Marbling refers to the little specks of white fat you see woven into your cut of meat. The more marbling, the juicier, more tender, and richer your steak will taste.

Only about 4,000 Kobe cattle are slaughtered each year. Caring for livestock in Japan is more expensive than in the U.S., and the Kobe cattle are slaughtered later in life than U.S. cattle (it takes about two-and-a-half years for a Kobe cow to reach maturity, while U.S. cattle are typically slaughtered between 14 and 20 months of age). Add the cost of exporting the meat to the States, and you can see why it's expensive.

Once the cow has been slaughtered, there are stringent requirements that must be met before the beef can be certified as Kobe. First, it must receive a Beef Marbling Standard grade six or higher. The meat must then receive a score of A4 or A5 from the Japanese Meat Grading System, which looks at characteristics like marbling, tenderness, and texture. If the meat checks all these boxes, it will receive a certificate of authenticity from the Japanese Meat Grading Association.

Kobe beef might be the highest quality beef you can buy, but Wagyu beef might also a prime dining experience while accommodating smaller budgets (albeit, not much smaller – one pound of Wagyu will run you up to $200). While Wagyu shares similarities with its Kobe beef cousin, like high price, it's not quite the same.

Wagyu means "Japanese beef" and includes four breeds of Japanese cows (not just one).  Wagyu beef is held to similar standards as Kobe and must be raised in the same fashion and yield high-quality meat to be considered authentic. However, it doesn't need to be raised in the same region of Japan as Kobe beef; it can even be raised in other countries (such as American Wagyu). You can expect an exemplary piece of meat from both Kobe and Wagyu, but the Kobe beef will exceed even the highest quality Wagyu in marbling, texture, and flavor. And if you have a craving for steak but not the budget to accommodate Wagyu or Kobe, there are many affordable steak options that will still give you great flavors.

It's been rumored that Kobe and Wagyu beef cattle receive daily massages, but this is not likely true. While there are many requirements that must be met before a piece of meat is certified authentic Kobe or Wagyu beef, daily massages are not one of them.