Matsusaka wagyu is the most expensive beef in the world. It had never been sold outside of Japan — until now
Grown exclusively in the Mie Prefecture in Japan, Matsusaka cattle are raised so their fat achieves the lowest melting point possible. The finest cuts of Matsusaka wagyu have a melting point of 12 degrees Celsius, 8 degrees lower than Kobe. These cows are so valuable that in 2002, one fetched 50 million yen, over $330,000, at auction.
These high prices are not about just how the cows live, but how long. In the quest for the ultimate marbling, farmers in Matsusaka are trying to extend cows' lives above their average life spans at the risk of killing them prematurely. So is it worth raising cattle for too long? And why is Matsusaka wagyu so expensive?
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