Tokyo ーＭｅａｔ Ａｕｃｔｉｏｎ＆Ｇｒａｄｉｎｇ

Our last day in Tokyo we went to the Meat Grading and Auction house. Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ given a lecture as to how Wagyu beef is graded - A5 being the best, with the A being the yield and the number following having to do with the quality. In addition, they give a marbling score to the carcass.

After the lecture and demonstration, we suited up in white caps and gowns and boots and went through a sterilization process, similar to the airport screening process - although it was more thorough. We then went to the auction facility where the carcasses are graded and the buyers (wholesale) bid for the beef.

We watched the heifers being auctioned off - there were many A4s and a smattering of A5 heifer carcasses. I have lost my notes, but as I recall the A5 heifers were bid up to 2500 yen per kilo - and they weighed around 500 kilos - the end result was that the top heifers went for around $6000 apiece.

The bulls went for much higher, especially since they weighed a good deal more. The top bull carcasses went for around $US 12,000!