Yakitori: A Guide for International Travelers

What Is Yakitori?

Yakitori is bite-sized pieces of chicken threaded onto skewers and grilled, traditionally over charcoal. Skewers are generally seasoned one of two ways: tare, a sweet-savory soy-based glaze brushed on while grilling, or shio, simple salt. Most yakitori shops also serve skewered vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, green peppers) and sometimes pork or other items, so “yakitori shop” often really means “skewer shop” more broadly.

The Many Cuts and Parts You Can Order

Yakitori menus go well beyond plain chicken breast. Common cuts include momo (thigh), negima (thigh alternated with scallion), kawa (crispy grilled skin), and tsukune (chicken meatballs, often brushed with tare). For diners open to trying more adventurous cuts, menus frequently also include reba (liver), nankotsu (cartilage, prized for its crunch), bonjiri (tail), hatsu (heart), and sunagimo (gizzard) — a reflection of yakitori’s roots in using as much of the chicken as possible rather than just the familiar cuts.

Yokocho Culture and How to Order

Grilling skewered food over charcoal has roots in Japan’s Edo-period street-food (yatai) culture. Yakitori in its more recognizable, widely available form is generally associated with the postwar era, when affordable chicken skewers became a popular way to make use of various cuts of chicken at a time of broader food and meat scarcity. Yakitori alleys (yokocho) — dense clusters of small, independently run skewer bars — grew up around train stations in this period and remain a defining feature of yakitori culture today; Tokyo’s Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho, home to several restaurants in this guide’s database, is one of the best-known examples.

1. Choose tare (sweet soy glaze) or shio (salt) for each skewer type — many regulars mix both across an order rather than picking just one.
2. Order a few skewers at a time rather than everything at once, or look for a course set (omakase-style) at shops that offer one if you’d rather not choose individual cuts.
3. Some yokocho shops have a minimum order policy per person, especially during busy hours — ask if you’re unsure.
4. Many small, independent yakitori counters in alleys like Omoide Yokocho are cash-only and have limited seating, so be prepared with cash and patience during peak times.