Does Japanese Black Cattle mean wagyu?

Hi,
Could someone help me with the terms Japanese black cattle?
When i went few times to a shabu shabu restaurant in Osaka and even Tokyo, they have it written Japanese Black Cattle.
As most of the waiters cant's speak english, so we normally just point to that assuming that it's Kobe Beef whilst we're in Kyoto.
But the same happen in Tokyo, but we know it's not Matsuzaka Beef because the price difference between Japanese Black Cattle and Matsuzaka Beef is different lol!

But is it Kobe Beef?

This time around we're going again, just want to make sure whether it's worth it to hv Japanese Black Cattle or should we just go to normal shabu shabu restaurant....as the shabu2 restaurant we went, normally cost about 7000-15,000 yen per person.
Some actually buffet.

Thanks

Could someone help me with the terms japanese black cattle?
Japanese black cattle are basically just one of the common Japanese cattle breeds (wagyu). The term, like say Angus Beef, only specifies the breed.

Kobe Beef on the other hand is a brand name (think of it like a luxury brand name). Breed wise, Kobe Beef are Japanese Black Cattle that have a few other requirements (e.g. they are slaughtered in Hyogo, have a minimum fat marbling content, and have passes a few quality tests). It is possible to have two completely identical cuts of meat, one Kobe Beef and the other not simply by virtue of branding. Kobe beef will be labeled as such on the menu.

I'd recommend reading the wikipedia page for a basic primer on wagyu.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagyu

This page also has info on Kobe beef:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3564.html

As most of the waiters cant's speak english, so we normally just point to that assuming that it's Kobe Beef whilst we're in Kyoto.

Its unlikely to be Kobe Beef unless its is labeled that way.

But the same happen in Tokyo, but we know it's not Matsuzaka Beef because the price difference between Japanese Black Cattle and Matsuzaka Beef is different lol!

Matsuzaka Beef is also a brand label. Btw, price is not a particularly reliable indicator, as restaurants like shabu shabu and yakiniku often offer various grades of wagyu, the highest levels of which may be equal to Kobe or Matsuzaka beef in quality and maybe even price, but do not come from one of the branded slaughterhouses.

But is it Kobe Beef?

No, probably not. You'll have to check the brand names on the menu or ask the waiter. If it is unlabled than it is unlikely to be kobe beef.

This time around we're going again, just want to make sure whether it's worth it to hv Japanese Black Cattle or should we just go to normal shabu shabu restaurant....as the shabu2 restaurant we went, normally cost about 7000-15,000 yen per person.

Some people prefer the taste of wagyu (or even more specifically Japanese Black Cattle) over imported beef, so if you like the restaurant then I'd say go for it. It's probably not Kobe Beef though, but that just means there are more undiscovered culinary delights out there for you to experience!

There are lots of other kinds of premium beef as good as, or better than, Kobe beef - that's just the brand that's best known outside Japan.

But if you can't tell the difference, then it's probably not worth it to you. (And I'd recommend saving your super-premium beef for teppanyaki or steaks, not shabu-shabu.)