Japanese Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)

Yakitori, Japan’s iconic grilled chicken skewers, is a dish that beautifully showcases the country’s mastery of simplicity in cooking. From bustling city streets to cosy izakayas, Yakitori is a staple that brings people together over smoky, perfectly charred bites of marinated chicken.

With its savoury flavours and irresistible aroma, Yakitori is more than just a casual snack, it’s a true representation of Japan’s approach to food: respect for ingredients, balance of flavour, and the joy of communal dining.

What Is Yakitori?

Yakitori refers to skewers of bite-sized chicken pieces, grilled over an open flame. It’s a versatile dish that can feature various parts of the chicken; breast, thigh, liver, even skin, all seasoned with either salt (shio) or a soy-based sauce (tare).

The beauty of Yakitori lies in its simplicity. Each skewer is carefully cooked over hot coals, giving the chicken a slightly charred exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy.

While Yakitori is often associated with casual dining, it’s more than just street food. The artistry of grilling the skewers at the perfect temperature and timing reflects Japan’s culinary philosophy of precision and attention to detail.

Whether you enjoy it with a cold beer at an izakaya or from a food stall at a festival, Yakitori offers a pure and delicious expression of grilled meat.

Ingredients and Taste

The ingredients for Yakitori are straightforward but essential to the dish’s character. Chicken is the star, and it’s usually marinated or brushed with either a simple salt seasoning or a rich tare sauce.

The tare sauce is made from a combination of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar, creating a savoury-sweet glaze that caramelizes beautifully on the grill. Sometimes, the skewers are accompanied by grilled vegetables like scallions or peppers, adding a fresh, slightly smoky flavour to each bite.

The taste of Yakitori is defined by its balance, whether you choose the salty, straightforward seasoning of shio or the umami-packed sweetness of tare, each skewer delivers a satisfying contrast of textures and flavours.

The outside of the chicken becomes lightly crispy from the grill, while the inside remains tender and juicy. The smoky aroma from the charcoal adds another layer of depth to the taste, making each bite rich, yet unpretentious.

A Taste of History

Yakitori has a relatively recent history in Japan, becoming popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before that, meat consumption was limited in Japan due to religious and cultural reasons, but as Western influence spread, so did the practice of eating grilled meat.

Yakitori quickly found its place in the culinary landscape, becoming a favourite among city dwellers looking for a quick, affordable meal.

Traditionally cooked over charcoal, the flavour of Yakitori reflects the street food culture that grew alongside Japan’s urbanization. Small Yakitori stalls, or yatai, popped up across Japan, serving hungry patrons after a long day of work.

Today, Yakitori remains deeply tied to this casual, communal dining experience. It’s a dish that invites people to gather, share, and enjoy food together, whether at an izakaya or around a charcoal grill at home.