[Yakiniku Day Online Survey Highlights] - Around 60% of people don't know that harami and beef tongue are offal - About half of men in their 30s have had solo yakiniku for dinner - Nearly 70% of women in their 40s eat yakiniku when they have an intense craving for meat

Ogawa Chikusan Shokuhin Co., Ltd., a wholesale dealer of Japanese and domestic beef and pork established in 1938, conducted an "Internet Survey on Yakiniku" on August 12, 2025. The survey was in commemoration of "Yakiniku Day" on August 29 and included 500 men and women aged 20 to 60 from across Japan who had eaten yakiniku at least once in the past six months.

Survey Results Summary

(1) About 60% of people don't know that harami and beef tongue are offal (hormone).

(2) About half of men in their 30s have experience eating yakiniku alone for dinner.

(3) 56.6% prefer marbled meat vs. 43.4% prefer lean meat, and preferences for people in their 60s are the exact opposite depending on gender.

(4) 66.0% of women in their 40s eat yakiniku when they have an intense craving for meat.

(5) The top choice for classic yakiniku is kalbi at 35.6%, while 30.0% of people in their 20s prefer tongue.

(1) Harami and Beef Tongue Knowledge

The survey found that 56.4% of people didn't know that harami (skirt steak) and beef tongue, which are popular at yakiniku restaurants, are actually classified as offal (hormone), a type of organ meat similar to a cow's stomach and intestines.

By gender, 52.0% of men and 60.8% of women answered "didn't know," showing that women were 8.8 percentage points less aware. By age group, respondents in their 20s (61.0%) and 50s (59.0%) were relatively less knowledgeable, while those in their 60s (52.0%) were the most knowledgeable.

When broken down by gender and age, women in their 20s had the lowest awareness, with 70.0% answering that they "didn't know," which was the highest rate of non-recognition among all segments. Harami is a diaphragm muscle and beef tongue is the tongue, but because their appearance and texture are similar to red meat, many consumers are mistaken about their classification.

(1) Harami and Beef Tongue Knowledge - Overall

(1) Harami and Beef Tongue Knowledge - By Gender

(1) Harami and Beef Tongue Knowledge by Age

(1) Harami and Beef Tongue Knowledge - By sex and age

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience

The survey on solo yakiniku experience showed that 32.8% of all respondents have done it for lunch, while 23.2% have done it for dinner, indicating a 9.6 percentage point difference in psychological hurdles depending on the time of day.

A significant difference was observed between genders: 47.6% of men have had solo yakiniku for lunch and 33.6% for dinner, while the rates for women were much lower at 18.0% for lunch and 12.8% for dinner. By age group, there were a certain number of people in each generation who had the experience, but those in their 30s tended to be higher than other generations.

Specifically, men in their 30s stood out with the highest rates across all segments: 62.0% for lunch and 46.0% for dinner. This suggests that for men in their prime working years, solo yakiniku has become an accepted daily dining option. In contrast, only 2.0% of women in their 60s had experienced solo yakiniku for dinner, highlighting the significant differences in experience rates based on generation, gender, and time of day.

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience - Lunch (Overall)

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience - Dinner (Overall)

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience - Lunch By Gender

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience - Dinner By Gender

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience - Lunch by By sex and age

(2) Solo Yakiniku Experience - Dinner by By sex and age

(3) Marbled vs. Lean Meat Preference

Overall, the preference for beef was slightly in favor of marbled meat at 56.6% compared to lean meat at 43.4%. When looking at gender, 56.0% of men and 57.2% of women preferred marbled meat, showing no significant difference between the two groups.

The most interesting finding from the gender and age breakdown was the contrasting preferences of men and women in their 60s. While 64.0% of women in their 60s preferred marbled meat, the highest among all segments, 48.0% of men in the same age group chose lean meat, showing a completely opposite trend within the same generation.

For women, support for marbled meat tended to increase with age (from 56.0% for women in their 40s to 58.0% in their 50s and 64.0% in their 60s). The results for the 60s age group revealed a clear gender difference in preferences driven by health consciousness and texture.

(3) Marbled vs. Lean Meat Preference - Overall

(3) Marbled vs. Lean Meat Preference by gender

(3) Marbled vs. Lean Meat Preference - by sex and age

(4) When People Eat Yakiniku

When asked about the situations in which they eat yakiniku, the top answer overall was "when I have an intense craving for meat" at 50.8%. This was followed by "at a gathering with family or friends" at 36.4% and "when I'm tired or want to cheer myself up" at 31.0%.

By gender, women were more likely to eat yakiniku "when they have an intense craving for meat" (52.8%) than men (48.8%), highlighting the high desire for meat among modern women.

Women in their 40s had particularly noteworthy results, with 66.0% choosing "when I have an intense craving for meat," the highest rate among all segments. Additionally, women in their 40s were also at the top for "when I'm tired or want to cheer myself up" at 44.0%, indicating that yakiniku is an important way for working women to relieve stress and recover from fatigue.

(4) When People Eat Yakiniku - Overall

(4) When People Eat Yakiniku by gender

(4) When People Eat Yakiniku by Gender and Age

(5) Favorite Yakiniku Cuts

In the survey of favorite yakiniku cuts, kalbi (short rib) was the top choice for 35.6% of all respondents, solidifying its position as the classic yakiniku cut. While kalbi's popularity remained high across genders, there were interesting trends by age and gender. Specifically, 30.0% of people in their 20s prioritized tongue, a clear preference for younger generations.

Furthermore, it's notable that 10.0% of men in their 20s prioritized liver, which may indicate an interest in its nutritional value or a preference for its unique texture. Overall, the survey confirmed that while preferences for yakiniku cuts have distinct characteristics by generation, the support for "classic" kalbi remains unwavering.

(5) Favorite Yakiniku Cuts - Overall

(5) Favorite Yakiniku Cuts by age

(5) Favorite Yakiniku Cuts by gender

In Response to the Survey Results

"This survey has provided many interesting insights into consumer awareness and preferences for yakiniku," said Ogawa Akihiro, President and Representative Director of Ogawa Chikusan Shokuhin Co., Ltd.. "The finding that around 60% of people are unaware of the classification of harami and beef tongue has reinforced the importance for us, as meat professionals, to provide information in a more accessible way."

"The results also highlight the changing lifestyles and values of modern consumers, such as the high solo yakiniku experience rate among men in their 30s, the strong meat cravings of women in their 40s, and the gender-based preference differences among people in their 60s. As a company with a history of 87 years, we will use these findings to offer products that cater to each customer's preferences and lifestyle while also striving to spread accurate knowledge about meat cuts and quality. The OGAWA Group will continue to deliver 'delicious happiness' with our uncompromising commitment to 'quality'."

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Internet Survey on Yakiniku

Target Audience: Men and women aged 20 to 60 nationwide who have eaten yakiniku at least once in the past six months

Number of Valid Responses: 500 (evenly distributed by age group)

Survey Period: Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Survey Method: Internet research

About Ogawa Chikusan Shokuhin Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1938 as Ogawa Shoten, the company primarily operates as a meat supplier, with a wide range of businesses including intermediate distribution, management of company-owned restaurants, retail meat sales, and production. In recent years, the company has expanded its comprehensive "food"-related businesses to include export operations overseas.

Company Name: Ogawa Chikusan Shokuhin Co., Ltd.

Head Office: 2-4-18 Futaba, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-0043

Representative Director: Teruhiro Ogawa

Capital: 80 million JPY

Number of Employees: 96 (as of April 11, 2025)

Business Activities: ① Processing, sales, and wholesale of beef and pork; ② Food service; ③ Restaurant operations