Imagine grilled chicken on an apron. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the morning, late evening, or any time in between. Until now. Yakitori is Japan’s take on barbecued chicken. The chicken is secured on a wooden stick before being grilled.

This gastronomic delight goes beyond taste. It also includes culture.

Yakitori and Japanese Culture

Chicken used to be a rare luxury in Japan. This was before the Meiji Restoration period which began around 1868. The Meiji era saw huge changes, including the addition of meat to the Japanese diet. Chicken meat was highly prized and considered a luxury.

Small stalls selling vegetables and skewered fish outside temples were also popular. The first chicken kebab shop outside temples was opened to capitalize on the growing demand for chicken. Chicken was still very expensive and these stall owners couldn’t afford to buy chicken meat so they used gristle or chicken carcasses they had dumped at higher-end restaurants. This tasty, cheap version of chicken was made using the popular skewering method. As they say, the rest is history. Yakitori was developed to offer a variety of textures and tastes, making it a popular Japanese snack.

Yakitori in Japan

Yakitori is a Japanese dish that can be prepared in Japan. The type of yakitori is named after the portion of the chicken used. This can be anything from the thighs and breast meat to the gristle and cartilage to the hearts and liver. These most popular types are:

• Negima. Negima is a skewered chicken thigh meat that’s adorned with leeks between each chicken piece. One of the most sought-after types of yakitori is Negima.
• Momo. These are simply pieces of skewered chicken breast meat.

• Tsukune. Tsukune, a type of Japanese yakitori that is less reminiscent of yakitori’s past, is very popular today. It’s a mixture of minced chicken and egg, along with vegetables and spices, skewered on a stick, as well as small meatballs.

• Torikawa. Torikawa is perhaps the most iconic of the first grilled chicken from the small stalls outside of temples. It’s made of strips of fatty chicken skin that are grilled until crisp.
• Nankotsu. Nankotsu reminds me of the first chicken kebab stands. It is skewered and crunchy cartilage with very little chicken.

Japanese chefs and restaurants love to experiment with traditional Japanese food using different sauces and spices. You can also use different meats, such as seafood, beef and pork. These yakitori snacks can also be complemented by other kebabs like green onions, shitake mushrooms, green peppers and eggplant. Sake and beer are often enjoyed with yakitori. These kebabs were traditionally filled on a rectangle clay box that is only 2 feet in length and just a few inches wide. The kebabs are small, delicious, and therefore snack-like. They can be grilled with a tabletop hibachi, or a Teppanyaki grill — the hot steel plates that form the center of many Japanese restaurants’ tables.

Enjoy Yakitori at Sushi Inc.

Sushi Inc. is a Japanese restaurant in St.Petersburg that prepares authentic Japanese cuisine using Japanese recipes. Sushi Inc. offers a Teppan Grill Menu that includes all your favorite Japanese dishes, including tempura, sushi, teriyaki, yakitori, and soba. We also offer a wide range of yakitori dishes that will please your taste buds. You will find many yakitori flavors at our teppanyaki grill as well as on our menu.

• Mi is thigh meat… The juicy, meaty portion of the chicken.
• Shiro Me is the healthier and more delicious part of chicken.
• SunaGimo is the twisted, chewy, chicken-like part of the chicken.
• Kimo is also known as Reba, or kimo. It’s the liver, the most important and luxurious part of chicken.
• Sinzo is the heart. It’s the rich, hearty part of the chicken.
• Torikawa is the skin… the crispy part of the chicken.
• Tebasaki is the wing… a favorite part of chicken-lovers.

Yakitori is a delicious and enjoyable option for those who want something fun and tasty that can be used as a snack or meal. It’s a unique experience that’s hard to find, and you can get it at Sushi Inc. Downtown St. Petersburg. Stop by to enjoy your meal today.