Modern Wagyu cattle come from crossing old Japanese working breeds with Western cattle.

Long ago, Japanese cattle were bred to work hard on farms, which gave them incredible physical stamina. In 1868, Japan began to embrace Western foods, including beef. Farmers crossed these tough, native Japanese cows with cattle from Europe and Great Britain. This special mix created the unique breeds we call Wagyu today, which are famous for carrying fat inside the muscle rather than just on the outside.