Ever wondered why a lot of people are clamoring for Wagyu even though it’s highly-priced? Aside from its tender meat and buttery soft flavor, it has a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids — making it healthier than the typical beef. Plus, a high-grade piece of Wagyu literally melts in the mouth. What more could you ask for, ‘eh?

While you might associate Wagyu with steak, there are other ways on how you can enjoy this expensive meat:

Teppanyaki Wagyu

Teppanyaki is a Japanese style of cooking that uses a large iron griddle (plate) where the region’s signature beef is grilled over it as the diners watch. Most Japanese restaurants which offer Teppanyaki Wagyu makes sure to offer customers the highest quality cut of the marbled Wagyu, brimming with savory richness. Though it’s a common way to cook beef, some restaurants will let you choose the level of grilling. Therefore, ensuring that you’ll enjoy a unique Teppanyaki experience.

Wagyu Yakiniku

Want to go beyond watching Wagyu Beef being cooked in front of you? Then, experience cooking it yourself and grilling your own beef over a charcoal or gas brazier at a Yakiniku (barbecue) House. If you happen to have some free time during your day tour in Tokyo, experience top yakiniku dining in the city — which is considered the home of the finest Kuroge Wagyu in Japan. You’ll find numerous restaurants that offer unique cuts and finely marbled Wagyu Beef paired with their specialty sauce!

Wagyu Burger

For those who love burgers and would like to elevate their burger experience, having a taste of Wagyu Burger should be your top choice! There are many burger joints in Tokyo which use Wagyu in their beef patties. These restaurants mostly use 100% Wagyu beef in their patties, making the burgers fat, juicy, and revealing its true, rich flavor. Because of the exquisite buttery texture of Wagyu, one bite into the patties will definitely make you crave for more.

Wagyu Hot Pot

Apart from grilled steaks and burgers, Wagyu Beef can also be enjoyed in Japanese hot pot dishes such as Shabu-shabu and Sukiyaki. In a Wagyu beef Shabu-shabu buffet, you’ll taste a thinly-sliced piece of Japan’s finest domestic beef lightly stirred in a cooking pot and enjoy it with dipping sauces. Whereas, in Sukiyaki, the Wagyu beef is slowly cooked in a shallow iron pot of soy sauce then dipped into raw, beaten egg. If you want a less sweet yet more savory flavor of Wagyu, choose the Shabu-shabu style!

Wagyu Sushi

Rejoice, sushi lovers! Although sushi is usually made from seafood, you can also enjoy Japan’s premium beef and sushi at the same time with the raw Wagyu Beef Ngiri-Zushi. Sushi and Yakiniku restaurants have reinvented the Sushi by topping off Ngiri rice balls with thin slices of raw Wagyu Beef. With its savory flavor and creamy texture, the Wagyu Sushi will be one of the most flavorsome sushi meals you’ve ever tasted!

To make the most out of your food trip experience in Tokyo, join free walking tours in the city and discover the best restaurants and dishes that you won’t necessarily know by reading tips online. By joining free walking tours, local guides will not only show you the top Tokyo destinations and restaurants. They’ll be willing to share with you the city’s best-kept stories and secrets!

Tokyo Localized provides visitors and travellers to Tokyo with a unique perspective of this great city, what makes us unique is that our tour guides live and work in Tokyo, have a passion for this city and love meeting and welcoming new faces. Find out more about our Unique Day and Night Tours of Tokyo - we can't wait to meet you!

About the writer

Rocel is a believer of living life to the fullest through creating memories with her loved ones – family, friends and self. One of the things she enjoys doing with them is travelling where they get to experience new cultures, new cuisines, new stories to share and memories to look back. In 2018 alone, she travelled to 5 continents which exposed her to the world’s wonders. After all those trips, Japan is still one of her favorite countries because of its unique and rich culture and natural resources. She lived and studied in Tokyo, Japan for one year where she developed deeper love and appreciation towards the country.