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How tuna is graded

There is no public star system. There are cuts, species, and a wholesaler's eye.

Species you will see

Hon-maguro (Pacific bluefin) is the most prized. Minami-maguro (southern bluefin) is close behind. Mebachi (bigeye) and kihada (yellowfin) are lighter, cheaper, and very common in bowls.

Cuts

Akami is the lean red meat from the back. Chutoro is medium-fatty, from the belly edges. Otoro is the fattiest belly cut. Price rises in that order.

How professionals judge

Buyers look at colour, fat distribution, firmness, and how the flesh looks in a cut sample. Freshness and how the fish was handled after catch matter as much as species. None of this is printed on a menu.

What to do with this

When a shop lists a species and a cut, you can compare. When a sign just says 'tuna', ask which. Tsukiji has 17 shops in the official directory whose main category is tuna.