How Japanese beef is graded

The minimum grade each brand requires

A brand name does not mean A5. Many brands require grade 3 or 4, and some set no grading condition at all.

• Quality grade 5 only1 brand

  Sendai Beef

• Quality grade 4 or higher23 brands

  Aomori Towadako Wagyu・Maesawa Beef・Akita Yuri Beef・Mitsunashi Beef・Hitachiwagyu Beef・Tochigi Wagyu・Hayama Beef・Yokohama Beef・Koshu Beef・Murakami Beef・Toyama Wagyu Sake Lees Finished Beef・Shinshu Premium Beef・Horai Beef・Mikawa Beef・Kyoto Beef・Kobe Beef・Tottori Wagyu Olein 55・Hiroshima Beef・Yamaguchi Wagyu Kirameki・Awa Beef・Saga Beef・Oita Wagyu・Miyazaki Beef

• Quality grade 3 or higher25 brands

  Shiraoi Beef・Furano Daichi Wagyu・Iwate Beef・Akita Beef・Yamagata Beef・Yonezawa Gyu・Utsunomiya Beef・Niigata Wagyu・Noto Beef・Wakasa Beef・Hida Beef・Enshu Yumesaki Beef・Shizuoka Sodachi・Kuroshio Beef・Chita Wagyu Homare・Kumano Beef・Tottori Wagyu・Chiya Beef・Tsuyama Wagyu・Bichu Beef・Hiba Gyu・Sanuki Beef・Hakata Wagyu・Kumamoto Kuroge Wagyu・Ishigaki Beef

• Quality grade 2 or higher12 brands

  Hakkoda Beef・Iwate Tankaku Wagyu・Fukushima Beef・Joshu Beef・Joshu Wagyu・Kakogawa Wagyu・Tajima Beef・Tottori F1・Tottori Gyu・Shimane Wagyu・Iyo Beef Kinu no Aji・Kumamoto Akaushi

• Other forms (BMS only, own scale, or a grade range)7 brands

  Nasu Wagyu・Awaji Beef・Kishu Waka Beef・Okayama Wagyu・Tokushima Mitsuboshi Beef・Tosa Rouge Beef・Takachiho Beef

• No grading condition32 brands

  Shikaoi Beef・Shihoro Beef・Tokachi Wakaushi・Biratori Wagyu・Kazuno Beef・Tochigi Kirifuri Kogen Beef・Minami Shinshu Beef・Atsumi Beef・Tahara Beef・Chita Beef Hibiki・Iga Beef・Tokusan Matsusaka Ushi・Matsusaka Ushi・Omi Beef・Kameoka Beef・Kyo no Niku・Kurodasho Wagyu・Sanda Beef・Tambasasayama Beef・Tohaku Wagyu・Oki Beef・Okuizumo Wagyu・Jinseki Beef・Olive-fed Wagyu Beef・Tosa Akaushi・Tosa Wagyu・Nagasaki Wagyu・Amakusa Kuroushi・Oita Bungo Beef・Miyakonojo Wagyu・Miyazaki Herb Beef・Kagoshima Wagyu

Pork grading (pork carcass standard)

Pork carcasses are graded under the Japan Meat Grading Association’s pork carcass standard into five grades: Gokujō (極上), Jō (上), Chū (中), Nami (並) and Tōgai (等外, substandard). The standard applies regardless of breed, age or sex. A carcass receives a grade only if it meets that grade’s conditions on all three counts: carcass weight with backfat thickness, appearance, and meat quality. There is no yield grade or BMS as there is for beef.

These weight bands are from the revised standard in force since 1 January 2023, which raised both limits by 3 kg. For scalded (skin-on) carcasses the bands are 6 kg heavier. [P001] [P031]

Grading conditions set by pork brands

• Hokkaido Whey Pork—
• Miyagino Buta Minori—
• Hachimantai Pork—
• Shonai Green Pork Boomin—
• Hitachi no Kagayakigraded

  Under the production and distribution manual, member distributors check meat quality and only pork at or above the set grade qualifies (the grade is not published)

• Rose Pork—
• Tochigi Yume Pork—
• Joshu Mugibuta—
• Sainokuni Kurobuta Pork—
• Boso Pork—
• TOKYO X—
• Yamayuri Pork—
• Koshu Fujizakura Pork—
• Tsumari Pork—
• Toyama Pork—
• Noto Porkgraded

  Graded by the Japan Meat Grading Association (no minimum grade is set)

• Fukui PorkJō+

  “Jō” (上) or higher under the pork carcass standard

• Shinshu Pork—
• Hida Kenton / Mino Kenton—
• Buono Pork Gifu—
• Mino Healthy PorkChū+

  Graded Gokujō, Jō or Chū in the Japan Meat Grading Association's carcass grading

• Mikawa Pork—
• Ise Umashibuta Pork—
• Kyoto PorkJō / Chū / Nami

  Japan Meat Grading standard: “Jō”, “Chū” or “Nami” (上・中・並)

• Kyo no Mochibuta Pork—
• Okayama Kurobuta Porkgraded

  Graded by a Japan Meat Grading Association grader (no minimum grade is set)

• Olive Yumebuta Pork—
• Ehime Amatoro Buta—
• Fureai Hime Pork—
• Hakata Sweeton—
• Hizen Sakura Pork—
• Wakakusu Pork—
• Kumamoto no Rindo Pork—
• Kome no Megumi PorkChū+

  Graded “Chū” (中) or higher by the Japan Meat Grading Association

• Miyazaki Brand PorkChū+

  Graded “Chū” (中) or higher by the Japan Meat Grading Association

• Kagoshima Kurobuta—
• Agu Pork—
• Okinawa Agu Brand Pork—

Sources

1. 牛枝肉取引規格 — Japan Meat Grading Association ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-09-18
2. [P001] 豚枝肉取引規格 — Japan Meat Grading Association ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-10-06
3. [P031] 豚枝肉取引規格の改正について（令和4年5月10日） — Japan Meat Grading Association ・ Primary source ・ Accessed 2026-10-06