Yonezawa Gyu
米沢牛 Yamagata
English name: Yonezawa Gyu — based on the English name in the GI register, “YONEZAWAGYU”.
GI registered No.26
Requirements for Yonezawa Gyu: breed — Japanese Black (heifers (never calved)); where raised — raised longest in, and finished in, Okitama region (Yonezawa, Nan'yo, Nagai, Takahata, Kawanishi, Iide, Shirataka, Oguni); age — 33 months of age or older; grade — meat quality grade 3 or higher.
Definition — what qualifies
| Breed | Japanese Black Sex / type: heifers (never calved) Sources: [G0026] |
|---|---|
| Where it must be raised | Raised longest in, and finished in, Okitama region (Yonezawa, Nan'yo, Nagai, Takahata, Kawanishi, Iide, Shirataka, Oguni) Sources: [G0026] |
| Age / fattening period | 33 months of age or older Sources: [G0026] |
| Grading | Meat quality grade 3 or higher Sources: [G0026] |
| Other conditions | Not set (no such requirement in the source) |
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. 49 of them, including Yonezawa Gyu, require grade 3 or higher or something stricter. 17 beef brands set a minimum age, ranging from 18 to 33 months. 33 months ranks 1st from the longest.
This guide lists 4 brands from Yamagata (also Shonai Green Pork Boomin, Yamagata Beef and Yamagata Jidori). 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.26
- Registered
- 2017-03-03
- English name in the GI register
- YONEZAWAGYU
- Registered producer group
- Yonezawagyu Brand 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
- 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
- Yonezawagyu Brand Promotion Association
- Official site
- http://www.yonezawagyu.jp/
Other brands from Yamagata
- Shonai Green Pork BoominPork brands
- Yamagata BeefBeef brands
- Yamagata JidoriJidori and branded chicken
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
- [G0026] 地理的表示 登録番号第26号「米沢牛」明細書 — Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (GI) ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18