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
If you have seen hirame on a sushi menu and wondered whether it means flounder, halibut, or something else, you are not alone. In Japanese cuisine, hirame usually means Japanese flounder or olive flounder, a prized white fish often served as sushi or sashimi. This guide explains its English name, taste, how to eat it, … Read more
Hotate is the Japanese word for scallop. In sushi and sashimi, it usually refers to the sweet, white adductor muscle of the Japanese scallop — the round, tender part many people recognize as scallop meat. Japanese hotate is loved for its natural sweetness, soft texture, and clean ocean flavor. It is often served raw as … Read more
When sharing yakitori at a company gathering or a meal with close friends, many people have probably hesitated for a moment and wondered, “Should I take this yakitori off the skewer?” What may seem like a considerate gesture can actually be criticized as bad manners, while others may feel that biting directly from the skewer … Read more