Sukiyaki beef made from the lean meat of Matsusaka Gyu can leave shoppers unsure about the cut and grade, how many servings it makes, and whether it is suitable as a gift. This article organizes the publicly available product-page listing and the Rakuten Ichiba reviews for Matsusaka Gyu Ōgon (“golden”) Special Sukiyaki 800g, sold on Rakuten Ichiba by Matsusaka Gyu Mie Matsuyoshi (松阪牛 三重松良), into five points: amount, storage method, ingredient labeling, suitability as a gift, and reviews. The same shop also sells a separate off-cuts product, “Matsusaka Gyu A5 Mega Portion 1kg” (松阪牛 A5 メガ盛り 1kg), which is covered in another article. Its specifications and contents are different from this product.
What We Confirmed
- Amount and a guideline for the number of servings
- Storage method and shelf life
- Ingredients and allergen labeling
- Whether it works as a gift
- Trends in public reviews
Basic Information
This table transcribes what is stated on the product page. However, the “not confirmed” labels and any notes we add are our own.
| Product Name | すき焼き肉 松阪牛 特選 すき焼き 800g 肉 牛肉 ギフト (Sukiyaki Beef Matsusaka Gyu Special Sukiyaki 800g Meat Beef Gift)Source: the beginning of the product name shown on the Rakuten Ichiba product page (viewed October 7, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Name | 松阪牛黄金の特選すき焼き (Matsusaka Gyu Ōgon Special Sukiyaki)Source: product page description (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Amount | 800g. The catchphrase says 4 to 6 servings, and the number of servings in the product information field is shown as 4Source: product page description, catchphrase and product information field (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| What Changes by Selection | The options on this product page differ in packaging (standard gift wrapping / paulownia-wood box (kiribako) packaging / paulownia-wood box packaging + paper wrapping), and the amount does not change. 400g and 800g × 2 are described in the product description as separate product pagesSource: product page purchase field and description (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Cut and Grade | Cut: a guide image on the product page says momo (round). A more specific name for the cut was not found. The product name and catchphrase use the word “akami” (lean meat), and the guide image describes the product as aimed at people who prefer lean meat over beef with fat running through it. Grade (A4, A5, etc.): Not confirmed (no listing found on the product page)Source: guide image, product name and catchphrase on the product page (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Storage Method | Keep frozen, store at −18°C or belowSource: product page description (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Best-Before Date | The page says about 30 days when frozen, and to cook it on the same day after thawing. How the starting point is written differs by field: the product description gives no starting point, the FAQ says 30 days frozen from shipping, and the product information field says 30 days to less than 60 days from the manufacturing date. Please check the actual date on the label of the product you receiveSource: product page description, FAQ and product information field (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Raw Material Origin | Place of production: Mie PrefectureSource: the “place of production” field in the product page description (viewed October 7, 2026). The page uses “place of production,” not “raw material origin” |
| Place of Processing | Not confirmedThe product page lists the manufacturer’s address (Tsu, Mie Prefecture), but does not say that this is where the product is processed (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| State / How to Eat (Whether Cooking Is Required) | It arrives frozen. We could not find any guidance on the product page about whether it can be eaten raw or whether cooking is required. The use shown in the product information field is for sukiyaki and shabu-shabu, and a guide image carries a note not to overcook itSource: product page product information field and guide image (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Thawing Method | Not confirmed (the only guidance is to cook it on the same day after thawing; we could not find thawing steps on the product page) |
| Shipping | Described as frozen delivery by Yamato Transport. Orders placed by 9:00 are shown as shipped the same day (excluding the shop’s days off)Source: product page description and purchase field (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Manufacturer | MYV Co., Ltd. 松阪牛三重松良 (Matsusaka Gyu Mie Matsuyoshi) (Isshinden-Nakano, Tsu, Mie Prefecture). The street number of the address is written differently: 189-1 in the product description and 188 in the product information fieldSource: product page description and product information field (viewed October 7, 2026) |
| Shop | Matsusaka Gyu Mie Matsuyoshi (Rakuten Ichiba) |
Prices are not listed here because they change. Please check the current price and stock availability at the link above.
Ingredients and Allergen Labeling
Within what we could check, we could not find ingredient names, additives, or allergen labeling on the product page. This item is not confirmed.
If you have an allergy, please check with the shop before purchasing, and be sure to check the collective food labeling on the product when it arrives.
Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling” (accessed October 7, 2026)
Five Things to Check Before Buying
| What to Check | For This Product | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Amount and Number of Servings | 800g. The catchphrase says 4 to 6 servings. 400g and 800g × 2 are separate product pages | Product page description and catchphrase |
| 2. Storage Method and Shelf Life | Keep frozen, −18°C or below. The page says about 30 days when frozen, and to cook it on the same day after thawing. Thawing method is not confirmed | Product page description |
| 3. Ingredients and Allergen Labeling | Not confirmed (not listed on the product page) | Checked the Rakuten Ichiba product page |
| 4. Suitable as a Gift | Selection fields for noshi, gift wrapping, paulownia-wood box packaging and message cards are shown. The noshi is the strip-style, bow-knot type, and the page shows that tied-knot style and name printing are not available | Product page purchase field and guide images |
| 5. Review Trends | Rakuten Ichiba’s rating is 4.23 out of 5 (263 reviews). Many reviews say it was used as a gift and was well received, and some praise the taste, while the 1★ and 2★ reviews stand out for pointing to tough meat and to a lean-meat-centered texture that differed from what the reviewer had imagined (a trend within what we read. We read 94 reviews in total: the first 60 in the default sort order, plus 23 filtered to 1★ and 11 filtered to 2★. They were posted from September 2013 to April 2026, and the latest is from April 2026. Few were posted in the last two years, so this may not reflect the product’s current condition) | Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 7, 2026) |
Suitable as a Gift?
The purchase field of the product page offers these packaging options: standard gift wrapping, paulownia-wood box packaging, and paulownia-wood box packaging + paper wrapping. For noshi, there is a selection field for a strip-style noshi (bow-knot), with the inscription (omotegaki) chosen from “内祝” (uchiiwai, a thank-you return gift), “和柄無地” (Japanese-pattern, plain), “感謝の気持ち” (a token of thanks), “お誕生日おめでとう” (happy birthday) and “【限定】お歳暮” ([limited] oseibo). The page shows that tied-knot style (musubikiri) and name printing are not available [Source: product page purchase field and guide images (viewed October 7, 2026)].
For message cards, a guide image says that if you write the card’s code and your message in the remarks field when ordering, the card is enclosed with the product. The card selection field in the purchase field includes designs where a message can be written, as well as designs shown as not allowing a message [Source: guide image and purchase field on the product page (viewed October 7, 2026)].
For delivery dates, the FAQ says you can basically specify a date up to 30 days ahead. The same notice says that during busy periods such as the Rakuten Super SALE, Father’s Day and year-end, shipping may happen in order [Source: product page FAQ (viewed October 7, 2026)]. Because all items are described as arriving frozen, if you are considering it as a gift, checking the following before purchase can help avoid misunderstandings.
- Whether the inscription you want is among the noshi options (the 5 above; anything else is not listed on the product page)
- Because it is shipped frozen, whether you can specify a delivery date and time the recipient can receive it
- Whether the recipient’s freezer has room for 800g
Among the reviews we read, about 30 of the first 60 in the default sort order were posts saying it was used as a gift, a return gift, an oseibo or similar and was well received by the recipient (Source: Rakuten customer reviews, viewed October 7, 2026. This is a trend within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition).
What Public Reviews Say
Below is a summary of Rakuten Ichiba’s product reviews, organized by topic. The rating figures are as of the time we accessed them and may change afterward.
| Site | Rating | Reviews | Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten customer reviews (product page) | 4.23 / 5 | 263 | October 7, 2026 |
Rating breakdown: 5★ 166 / 4★ 49 / 3★ 14 / 2★ 11 / 1★ 23 (as shown on Rakuten Ichiba, viewed October 7, 2026)
What we read: the first 60 reviews in Rakuten’s default order (posted September 2013 to April 2026; latest April 2026), plus 23 filtered to 1★ (posted November 2013 to December 2025) and 11 filtered to 2★ (posted October 2014 to January 2021), 94 in total. We did not read the 3★ reviews. Of the posts from the last two years (October 2024 onward), only 5 of the 60 in the default order and only 1 of the 34 in the 1★ and 2★ sets, so older posts make up most of what we read. These are trends within what we read and may not reflect the product’s current condition. Counts are approximate figures from counting the posts we read.
What Reviewers Praise
Well received as a gift or return gift
About 30 of the first 60 in the default order (about 3 of them posted in the last two years) said they used it as a gift, a return gift, an oseibo, a birthday present or similar, and that the recipient was pleased. Some of these are from people who did not eat it themselves, and their comments on the taste are secondhand from the recipient.
Taste, tenderness and lightness of the fat
About 27 reviews (about 2 of them posted in the last two years) said the taste is good, the meat is tender, or the fat is not heavy and is easy to eat. Many of these posts say they ate it as sukiyaki.
Amount
About 8 reviews (0 of them posted in the last two years) said the amount was just right for their family or was satisfying. The guideline for the number of people varies by post, from one saying it was just right for 3 adults to one saying 6 adults were satisfied. One post said it was too much for a family of 4. The number of people is the reviewer’s own impression, not the seller’s guidance.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 7, 2026)
What Reviewers Note
These counts are from the 34 reviews we read after filtering to 1★ and 2★. They are not a share of all ratings, and this set has many old posts; only 1 was posted in the last two years.
Tough meat
About 16 of the 34 reviews at 1★ and 2★ (1 of them posted in the last two years) said the meat is tough, dry or has a lot of sinew. About 7 reviews also said the meat had discolored after thawing or that the smell was noticeable, but all of these were posted in 2015 or earlier.
How to check: what the product page says about the cut and grade is summarized in the “Cut and Grade” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Mostly lean meat, different from what was imagined
About 8 reviews (0 of them posted in the last two years) said there was little marbling (the fat running through the meat) and it was mostly lean meat, or that they had imagined the marbled look of the product photos. One post said the surface of the pack looked marbled, but the inside was mostly lean.
How to check: the fact that the product name and catchphrase use the word “akami” (lean meat) is written in the “Cut and Grade” row of “Basic Information” in this article.
Different from the taste or texture expected of Matsusaka Gyu
About 14 reviews (0 of them posted in the last two years) said it was different from the taste or texture they expected from the name Matsusaka Gyu, and some posts questioned whether it was really Matsusaka Gyu. These are the reviewers’ impressions, not facts confirmed by Ochinity.
Source: Rakuten customer reviews (viewed October 7, 2026)
Who It Suits / Who Should Be Careful
Who It Suits
- Want to get 800g of meat for sukiyaki and shabu-shabu in one go (the use shown in the product information field)
- Prefer lean meat to fatty meat (the group the seller’s guide image describes it for)
- Want to choose the noshi inscription and packaging for a gift
Who Should Be Careful
- Expect heavily marbled meat or a melt-in-the-mouth texture (the 1★ and 2★ reviews stood out for pointing to mostly lean meat and toughness)
- Want to know the grade or the specific cut before purchasing (grade is not confirmed)
- Want to know the ingredients and allergen labeling before purchasing (not confirmed)
- Need guidance on thawing or cooking (not listed on the product page)
Prices, stock, shipping fees, and delivery dates are subject to change. This article’s information-as-of date is October 7, 2026. Please be sure to check the listing at the link before purchasing.
This article contains affiliate links (advertising). Editorial Policy
Summary
- 800g, kept frozen at −18°C or below. The page says about 30 days when frozen, and to cook it on the same day after thawing
- The guide image describes it as aimed at people who prefer lean momo meat, and many reviews say it was well received as a gift, while the 1★ and 2★ reviews stand out for pointing to tough meat and a lean-meat-centered texture (a trend within the 94 reviews we read that may not reflect the product’s current condition)
- Ingredient and allergen labeling, the grade, and the thawing method could not be confirmed on the product page
Related Pages
This article organizes information published on sales sites and review sites. Product details such as amount, storage method, and ingredients may change. Please check the seller’s listing for the latest information.
Comments on taste or quality are summarized from third-party posts cited with their source, and are not Ochinity’s own evaluation. Our approach to writing articles is described in our Editorial Policy.
Information as of: October 7, 2026 / Sources: Rakuten Ichiba “Matsusaka Gyu Mie Matsuyoshi” (松阪牛 三重松良) product page, Rakuten customer reviews, Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan, “About Allergen Labeling”
![Product photo of thin slices of Omi beef for sukiyaki spread across a black plate with green leaves as a garnish (配送月が選べる 近江牛 すき焼き [Omi beef sukiyaki with a choice of delivery month]). Text the shop placed in the image: “定期便 容量も選べる” (subscription plans, size also selectable), “近江牛” (Omi beef), “すき焼き用” (for sukiyaki), “450g~470g”](https://ochinity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/eye-furusato-10000946-en-300x158.webp)
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