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Guida

What do A5 and BMS actually mean?

In "A5" the letter is the yield grade — how much meat came off the carcass — and the number is the meat quality grade. It is not a ranking of flavour. Marbling itself is scored as BMS from 1 to 12, and quality grade 5 covers BMS 8 to 12. The more marbling, the less of it you can comfortably eat.

Updated 14 July 2026

How is the grade decided?

What makes up a grade
SymbolMeaningRange
A / B / CYield grade — how much saleable meat came off the animalA is the highest yield
1 to 5Meat quality grade, from marbling, colour, firmness and fat quality5 is the top
BMS 1–12The marbling score in detailQuality grade 5 covers BMS 8–12
Individual ID numberA 10-digit number tracing the animal's origin and historyEvery animal has one

A5 does not mean "the best to eat". The yield grade matters to the trade, not to you. A heavily marbled A5 suits sukiyaki, while A4 is often the better steak if you want to eat a whole one.

What is Iga beef?

Japanese Black cattle raised in and around Iga in Mie Prefecture, meeting the local standard. Very few animals are shipped each year and most are eaten locally, so little of it leaves the prefecture. We buy directly from a designated farm.

Which cut should I choose?

Cut, use and thickness
CutBest forThicknessPer person
SirloinSteak15–20 mm150–200 g
Rib loinSukiyaki and shabu-shabu2–3 mm120–150 g
RoundYakiniku and slow cooking5–10 mm150 g
MinceHamburg steak and soboro—120 g

Heavily marbled beef goes further than people expect. Half a kilo of sukiyaki slices feeds four.

How do I thaw and cook it?

  1. 01Thaw frozen beef in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Room temperature or a microwave draws out the juices and costs you the flavour.
  2. 02Take it out 30 minutes before cooking and pat the surface dry.
  3. 03For steak, one minute a side over high heat, then rest it under foil for five. It is fatty enough that you barely need oil.
  4. 04For sukiyaki, bring the broth to a boil and add one slice at a time, lifting it out as soon as the colour turns. Overcooking makes it tough.

Where can beef be delivered?

To addresses inside Japan only. Not to hotels, which hold parcels at room temperature, and not overseas: sending meat by international post is not permitted under animal quarantine rules.

What we can ship, and where
Kind of productAddress in JapanYour hotel in JapanOverseasTransit
Sake (5 items)YesSome items (3/5)Not Hoshinami Awaboshi Sparkling, 300ml, Akari Nigori Yukiakari, 720mlNot yet2–4 working days
Iga beef (3 items)YesNoNo3–6 working days
Sets (2 items)YesSome items (1/2)Not An Evening in Iga: Iga beef sirloin with junmai daiginjoNot yet2–6 working days
Pantry & seasonings (1 item)YesYesYesAU, DE, FR, GB, HK, SG, TW, US2–4 working days
Sweets (1 item)YesYesYesAU, DE, FR, GB, HK, SG, TW, US2–4 working days
  • Hotels store parcels at room temperature, so chilled and frozen items can't go there.
  • We can't ship alcohol overseas yet; the export licence is in progress. Items without alcohol can be sent abroad today.
  • Meat is delivered to Japanese addresses only — no hotels, no overseas.

For overseas delivery, duties and local taxes are paid by the recipient.

The product page is authoritative for any single item.

Questions

Does it arrive chilled or frozen?
It depends on the product; the specification table on each page says which. Both travel by cool delivery, which carries a surcharge — the amount is on the product page and in the fee table on the shipping guide.
What if I am not in when it arrives?
The carrier holds a cool-delivery parcel for about three days and then discards it, and that is not refundable. Choose a date you can be there.
Can I see the individual ID number?
It is printed on the paperwork in the box, and you can look the animal up from it.

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If your question is not here, email us. info@guida.jp

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