Mt. Fuji

Mt. Fuji was the second of the two Japanese Black bulls in the landmark 1976 importation by Morris Whitney, the first Wagyu ever exported from Japan to the United States. Drawn from Hyogo Prefecture, he carried Tajima-line genetics, the same compact, intensely marbling strain behind Kobe beef, making him a cornerstone of foundation Black breeding in North America. Like his herdmates he arrived to a country with no fullblood Wagyu females, so he was first crossed onto British and dairy breeds while Colorado State University collected and studied his semen; the four bulls were later bought by Wagyu Breeders Inc. and eventually sold to Texas veterinarian Dennis Wendt. Marketed today as 'The Original,' Mt. Fuji semen remains scarce and sought after. His breeding profile leans maternal: he stamps lighter birth weights, easy calving, strong milk and moderate, refined females rather than heavy carcass yield, with marbling that grades average for the breed. For breeders chasing authentic early-import Tajima blood and calving ease, Mt. Fuji sits about as far back as any North American pedigree can reach.