Yakitori is grilled chicken skewers cooked over binchotan charcoal and seasoned with either tare sauce (sweet soy glaze) or shio (salt). It is one of Japan’s most widely eaten foods, served at street-side stalls, neighbourhood izakayas, dedicated yakitori restaurants, and train-station kiosks. Here is everything you need to know to order confidently.
Quick Answer: What is yakitori: Skewered chicken grilled over charcoal. Order by the skewer, typically 150 to 400 yen each. Tell the staff ‘tare’ for sauce or ‘shio’ for salt when ordering. Most parts of the chicken are used, from the breast and thigh to the skin, cartilage, and liver.
What Makes Yakitori Different
The quality of yakitori depends almost entirely on two things: the charcoal and the skill of the cook. Most serious yakitori restaurants use binchotan, a high-grade white charcoal from Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture, which burns hot and cleanly without producing smoke that would affect the flavour. A skilled yakitori chef (yakitoriya) controls the grill’s heat zones to cook different parts of the chicken at the right temperature.
This is not fast food in the Western sense. At a good yakitori counter, each skewer gets individual attention. The combination of charcoal heat, fat dripping from the chicken, and a layered glaze of tare sauce creates a flavour that cannot be replicated at home on a regular grill.
The Main Yakitori Cuts
Momo (Thigh)
The most popular cut. Chicken thigh meat, juicy and slightly fatty, which keeps well over charcoal. Usually, the default is when a menu says ‘yakitori.’ A good starting point for first-timers.
Negima (Thigh with Leek)
Alternating pieces of chicken thigh and Tokyo negi (Japanese leek). The leek chars slightly and softens, adding sweetness to one of the classic yakitori combinations.
Tsukune (Minced Chicken Meatball)
Ground chicken mixed with aromatics, shaped around a skewer, and grilled. Often served with a raw egg yolk for dipping. Tare sauce is the standard seasoning for tsukune.
Kawa (Skin)
Chicken skin wrapped tightly around the skewer and grilled slowly until crispy is one of the most distinctive yakitori items and is very popular with Japanese diners. Shio (salt) is often preferred for kawa to let the rendered fat flavour come through.
Tebasaki (Wing)
Whole chicken wing grilled over charcoal. Crispy skin, concentrated flavour. Requires some work to eat, but it’s worth it.
Reba (Liver)
Chicken liver, cooked medium-rare in the best yakitori restaurants. Creamy inside, rich and iron-forward. Not for everyone, but a marker of a serious yakitori restaurant if done well.
Hatsu (Heart)
Chicken heart, firm and with a slight chew. Mild in flavour. Often, in a gateway cut for those hesitant about offal.
Bonjiri (Tail)
The fatty tail section. Very high fat content, which renders over the charcoal into something extremely flavourful. A favourite among yakitori enthusiasts.
Shiro (Intestine)
Cleaned chicken intestine, cooked until slightly charred: strong flavour, acquired taste, but a staple at serious yakitori counters.
Tare vs Shio: Which to Choose
Tare: A sweet-savoury soy-based glaze that is applied repeatedly to the skewer during cooking. Slightly sticky, caramelized, deeply flavoured. Best for momo, negima, and tsukune.
Shio: Sea salt, applied before and during cooking. Cleaner flavour that lets the chicken’s natural taste come through. Best for kawa, bonjiri, and tebasaki, where the fat is the main event.
Many diners order some skewers tare and some shio. When in doubt, the staff will often recommend which suits each cut.
How to Order
At most yakitori restaurants, you order skewers by skewer from a paper or laminated menu. Point at what you want if there is no English menu. Specify tare or shio. At counter-style restaurants, the chef grills in front of you and brings skewers as they are ready.
Minimum orders of 2 skewers per type are common. Beer, a highball (whisky soda), or oolong tea is the standard drink to order alongside yakitori.
How Much Does Yakitori Cost
Standing stalls and casual izakayas: 150 to 250 yen per skewer. Mid-range yakitori restaurants: 250-400 yen per skewer. A satisfying meal of 6 to 8 skewers plus a drink costs approximately 1,500 to 3,000 yen.
Top-end omakase yakitori restaurants in Tokyo can charge 8,000 to 20,000 yen per person for a full tasting course.
Where to Find Yakitori
- Under railway tracks (gaado shita): some of Tokyo’s most famous yakitori spots are under the train tracks in areas like Yurakucho and Koenji.
- Izakayas: most Japanese pubs serve basic yakitori alongside their broader menu
- Shibuya and Shinjuku: both have dense clusters of yakitori restaurants
- Convenience stores: 7-Eleven and Lawson sell decent hot yakitori near the register, typically 150 to 200 yen per skewer
FAQ
Is yakitori only chicken?
Technically, yes, yaki means grilled and tori means bird/chicken, so yakitori specifically refers to chicken skewers. However, many yakitori restaurants also serve other grilled skewers,s including pork (butayaki), vegetables, and seafood. These are listed separately on the menu.
Can vegetarians eat at yakitori restaurants?
Most yakitori restaurants offer vegetable options, including skewers of negi (leek), shishito peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and asparagus. A purely vegetarian meal at a yakitori restaurant is possible at most places. See the Japan vegetarian guide for broader dining advice.
What drink should I order with yakitori?
A cold draft beer (nama biru) is the classic pairing. Highball (whisky and soda, usually Suntory’s Toki or Kakubin) is equally popular and refreshing with grilled food. Non-alcoholic options include oolong tea, which cuts through the fat well.
