Matsusaka
三重県 · Mie · Kansai Region · Central Japan
the threshold that changes everything
Standard beef fat starts to melt around 25 °C. A very high-quality Kobe drops to 22 °C. Matsusaka, however, releases its fat at just 17 °C — a threshold no other beef in the world reaches.
Placed on the hand, a sliver of Matsusaka begins to melt from the warmth of the fingers. In the mouth, the sensation is that of silky butter evaporating into pure umami.
A measurable, physical record that explains why the greatest Japanese gourmets consider Matsusaka to be the absolute pinnacle of the wagyu industry.
keep for themselves
In the West, the name Kobe has overshadowed all other wagyu. In Japan, the hierarchy is different: for connoisseurs, it is indeed Matsusaka-gyū that reigns supreme. Rarer, more demanding, more expensive, more sought after.
In 2002, a Matsusaka heifer Tokusan category was sold for over 50 million yen at the annual Matsusaka auction — a record for a single animal, never since equaled at that level.
Matsusaka is not just another wagyu. It is excellence beyond Kobe — a horizon that only a tiny percentage of Japanese production reaches each year.
unparalleled patience
Only virgin heifers, never used for breeding, can bear the label. For the Tokusan category, over 900 days of rearing. Shōchū massage, local summer beer — nothing is left to chance, nothing is industrial.
ABSOLUTE RECORD
TOKUSAN CATEGORY
EXCLUSIVELY
2002 · TOKUSAN
and Ise Bay
animal by animal
Official label Matsusaka-gyū, Black breed, grades A4/A5 only, minimum 900 days of rearing for the Tokusan category, individual certification by the Matsusaka Beef Association.
only
Ribeye · Sirloin · Tenderloin · Premium cuts — Grade A4 · Grade A5. Prices upon request.