Tajima Beef
但馬牛 Hyogo
English name: Tajima Beef — as written on the English page at kobe-niku.jp.
GI registered No.2
Requirements for Tajima Beef: breed — Japanese Black (females, steers); where raised — fattened in Hyogo Prefecture; age — 28 months of age or older; 60 months or younger; grade — meat quality grade 2 or higher; yield grade A or B. Also: slaughtered at one of six meat centers in Hyogo (Kobe, Kakogawa, Himeji, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Tajima).
Definition — what qualifies
| Breed | Japanese Black Calves of the Tajima strain, bred only from Hyogo Prefecture-owned sires for every generation Sex / type: females, steers Sources: [G0002] |
|---|---|
| Where it must be raised | Fattened in Hyogo Prefecture Sources: [G0002] |
| Age / fattening period | 28 months of age or older; 60 months or younger Sources: [G0002] |
| Grading | Meat quality grade 2 or higher; yield grade A or B Sources: [G0002] |
| Other conditions |
Slaughtered at one of six meat centers in Hyogo (Kobe, Kakogawa, Himeji, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Tajima) [G0002] |
Grades follow the Japan Meat Grading Association: yield grade (A–C), meat quality grade (1–5), and marbling as BMS No. (1–12). How Japanese beef is graded →
Compared with other brands
This guide lists 75 beef brands that require Japanese Black cattle. 61 beef brands set a meat quality grade. The loosest condition is grade 2 or higher, used by 12 of them including Tajima Beef. 17 beef brands set a minimum age, ranging from 18 to 33 months. 28 months ranks 3rd from the longest (4 others also use 28).
This guide lists 7 brands from Hyogo (also Awaji Beef, Kakogawa Wagyu, Kurodasho Wagyu, Kobe Beef, Sanda Beef and Tambasasayama Beef). By prefecture →
Compare this brand side by side with others → ・ Find brands by their rules →
Counts cover only the brands in this guide.
Geographical Indication (GI)
- Registration no.
- No.2
- Registered
- 2015-12-22
- English name in the GI register
- TAJIMA BEEF
- Registered producer group
- Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association
This definition is taken from the production method in the specification registered with Japan's Ministry of Agriculture.
Guides
- Matsusaka, Kobe, Omi, Yonezawa: what each famous wagyu name actually requires
- Same body, different brands: how 31 Japanese meat brands from 13 bodies differ
- Does Kobe beef have to be A5? We counted the grading rules of 100 Japanese beef brands
- Heifers, steers, or anything? The sex rules of 100 Japanese beef brands
- Where must Japanese brand beef be raised? We counted the region rules of 100 brands
- How old is Japanese brand beef? We counted the age rules of 100 brands
- What counts as wagyu? Four breeds, born and raised in Japan — and how 100 beef brands break down
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Managed by
- Managed by
- Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association
- Official site
- https://www.kobe-niku.jp/
- Official English page
- https://www.kobe-niku.jp/en/contents/about/definition.html
Other brands from Hyogo
- Awaji BeefBeef brands
- Kakogawa WagyuBeef brands
- Kurodasho WagyuBeef brands
- Kobe BeefBeef brands
- Sanda BeefBeef brands
- Tambasasayama BeefBeef brands
About the names
Brand names are proper nouns. English names follow the brand association's official English page first, then the English name in the GI register, and otherwise romanised Japanese plus "Beef", "Wagyu" or "Pork". We never call a non-Wagyu brand Wagyu.
Sources
Sources are in Japanese
- [G0002] 地理的表示 登録番号第2号「但馬牛」明細書 — Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (GI) ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18
- [G0003] 地理的表示 登録番号第3号「神戸ビーフ」明細書 — Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (GI) ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18
- [B021] 三田牛の定義 — Sanda City ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18
- [B022] 淡路ビーフの定義 — Minamiawaji City ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18
- [B067] 加古川和牛の定義 — Kakogawa City ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18
- [B069] 丹波篠山牛の定義 — JA Tamba Sasayama ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18