Negima yakitori is one of the easiest Japanese grilled skewers to love: juicy chicken, sweet grilled green onion, and either a simple salt seasoning or a glossy sweet-savory sauce. If you have seen it at an izakaya, eaten it in Japan, or want to make it at home, this guide walks through what negima is, … Read more
Tebasaki is one of those Japanese foods that sounds simple at first, but gets much more interesting once you look closer. It literally refers to chicken wings, but in food culture, especially in Nagoya, it often means crispy Japanese fried chicken wings coated with a sweet-savory soy glaze and plenty of pepper. If you searched … Read more
Tsukune is one of those izakaya dishes that feels simple at first: ground chicken, shaped by hand, grilled or pan-fried, and brushed with a sweet-savory sauce. But once you taste a good one, you realize it is not just a regular meatball. It is lighter, springier, more aromatic, and often served with a rich egg … Read more
If you have seen seseri on a yakitori menu and wondered what it actually is, you are definitely not alone. At first, “chicken neck meat” may sound a little intimidating, but seseri is one of those Japanese chicken cuts that makes perfect sense once you taste it: juicy, springy, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly easy to … Read more
Awabi is one of those Japanese seafood words that can feel a little mysterious the first time you see it on a sushi menu. If you have come across awabi at an omakase counter, in a kaiseki meal, or while reading about Japanese ingredients, the simple answer is this: awabi means abalone. But that quick … Read more
Sunagimo is a common item on Japanese yakitori menus, but if you are seeing the word for the first time, it can be a little confusing. In simple terms, sunagimo means chicken gizzard: a firm, lean, crunchy part of the chicken that is especially popular in Japan as grilled skewers, fried snacks, and small izakaya … Read more
Bonjiri is a small, fatty cut from the tail end of a chicken. In English, it is often translated as chicken tail or chicken tail meat. In Japan, bonjiri is especially popular as yakitori. When grilled, it becomes crispy on the outside and juicy, rich, and soft on the inside. What Is Bonjiri? Bonjiri refers … Read more
Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese dessert made with kanten jelly, sweet red bean paste, fruit, and kuromitsu syrup. It is cool, colorful, and refreshing, with a mix of jelly-like, chewy, fruity, and sweet flavors in one bowl. If you are curious about Japanese sweets beyond matcha and mochi, anmitsu is a lovely place to start. … Read more
If you have ever watched a Japanese festival scene, a street food video, or an anime moment where someone bites into a warm, round cake filled with sweet red bean paste, there is a good chance you have seen imagawayaki. At first glance, it may look like a thick pancake, a small cake, or even … Read more
Yokan is one of those Japanese sweets that looks simple at first, but the more you learn about it, the more interesting it gets. It is usually described in English as “sweet bean jelly” or “red bean jelly,” but that translation only tells part of the story. Unlike the soft, wobbly jelly many English-speaking readers … Read more