Hida Beef: Gifu's Signature Wagyu Explained

Hida beef is a wagyu brand raised in Gifu's Hida region, around Takayama and the surrounding mountain towns, for at least 14 months, graded on the same A/B/C yield-grade and 1-5 quality-grade scale used for other Japanese wagyu. To carry the name, cattle must be born or raised largely within Gifu and meet a minimum grading standard, which keeps quality relatively consistent. It's less globally known than Kobe beef but respected within Japan as one of the country's better regional wagyu, with a rich, well-marbled flavor.

In Takayama and around Gifu, Hida beef shows up as grilled steak, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, or in a more casual form as skewered, seared cubes sold from street stalls near the old town — a good low-cost way to try it without a sit-down restaurant meal. Because grading and sourcing claims aren't always policed carefully at every stall, quality can vary; a certificate or clear signage naming the grade is a reasonable thing to look for if you want the real thing rather than a generic wagyu.