Hail! Hail! Yakitori!BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 5, 2026One of
my fondest recollections of living in Japan was walking home from my school on
a wintry night as snowflakes covered the ground, the NEC building looming over
a yakitori stand. Huddled on a wooden bench with salarymen in the same
ill-fitting polyester suits, we devoured chicken skewers dripping in sweet soy
sauce, sunk cans of Asahi Super Dry and chatted about the Queen until the small
hours. Yeah…that
was the real Japan. Yakitori
stalls gained popularity in the Meiji Period at the end of the nineteenth
century. Until then, Japanese society considered meat consumption unclean and
most subsisted on a pescatarian diet. Yakitori surged in popularity after the
1923 Great Kanto earthquake, when poverty eroded society’s bias against meat
consumption. Families began skewering cheap cuts of offal known as motsu-yaki,
to which I will return later. Indeed, the term “yakitori” is a bit of a
misnomer. The word “tori” implies poultry, whereas yakitori, in fact, applies
to any meat or vegetable skewered before grilling. That said, chicken forms the
majority. Japan bred its own Hinai-jidori breed to cater to burgeoning demand,
and other breeds such as Nagoya-kochin and Satsuma-jidori subsequently became
renowned for their rearing and flavour.This
Vinous Table is my homage to yakitori. I have written up three yakitori-ya
that I visited in July 2025. Each has a different take, but all are a level
above what you find in an average izakaya. My decision to combine them
does not imply inferiority; on the contrary, two rank amongst my favourite
meals of 2025, notwithstanding that one has a
Michelin star.Torishige2 Chome-6-5 YoyogiShibuyaTokyo 151-0053&nbsp;The Food:Assorted
yakitori: liver and spring onion, tsukune, pig intestine, pig temple, sukiyaki
egg, chateaubriand and sirloin, pig colon and cartilage, pig heart, beef
shoulder and tongue

























Somen
noodlesThe Wines<table><tbody><tr><td>2019 Twomey Cellars Pinot Noir Russian River Valley&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>89</td></tr><tr><td>2020 Hirsch Pinot Noir West Ridge&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>93</td></tr></tbody></table><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501649650-torishige+interior_VT.JPG">The dining counter at Torishige.Let us begin with Torishige, just a
five-minute walk from Shinjuku Station (or 20 minutes if it is rush hour)! My
erstwhile work colleague, Hiro San, chose this place after taking me to <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-koumoto-tokyo-japan-apr-2024">Koumoto</a>
and <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-sens-saveurs-tokyo-japan-aug-2025">Sens et Saveur</a> on
previous visits. Torishige is a large, two-floor restaurant that specialises in
the aforementioned motsu-yaki. Think of it
as “yakitori nose-to-tail eating,” Tokyo’s own St. John. It was founded as a food stall way back in 1949, and Chef
Yuji Sakamaki is the third-generation owner. Torishige is also known for
inventing stuffed green pepper skewers filled with minced chicken—a must-try.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501555369-peppers_VT.JPG">The famous stuffed peppers.Amongst
the yakitori we eat together are…takes a deep breath…liver and spring onion, tsukune,
pig intestine, pig temple, sukiyaki egg, chateaubriand and sirloin, pig
colon and cartilage, pig heart, beef shoulder and tongue, finishing with some
heartwarming somen noodles.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501584540-intestine_VT.JPG">Pig colon and cartilage.

The
place is loud, bustling and lively. The yakitori is uniformly delicious in a
more rustic style, and it broadened my horizons. Go if you would like a glimpse
of what Japanese people were eating a hundred years ago, but I wouldn’t bring
your vegan friend.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501612101-hirsch+pinot+noir_VT.JPG">We
enjoyed two wines. The 2019 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley from
Twomey Cellars is lush on the nose with morello cherry, crushed strawberry and a touch of alcoholic warmth that blurs
the edges. The palate is rounded in texture, quite
caressing, with generous, plump red fruit, though I feel that it needs a little
more acidity to retain tension. The 2020 Pinot
Noir West Ridge from Hirsch has no such problem with acidity.
Compared to the Twomey, this has more delineation and vibrancy on the nose,
with vivid red cherry, raspberry coulis and crushed
stone scents, just a hint of rose petal. The palate has plenty of pure red
fruit that captures the essence of the variety. Winemaker Jasmine Hirsch managed
to impart sufficient acidity to keep this on its tiptoes through the sustained
finish. What a wonderful Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.gaigai.jp/">Gaigai</a>1 Chome-3-1 AzabujubanMinato CityTokyo 106-0045The Food:Octopus
Sea
urchin sashimiTuna, sea
bream and salmon sashimi with shredded daikon and shiso leafOven slow-cooked
tomatoes 







Assorted
yakitori: seseri, bonbochi, chicken heart, chicken thighThe Wines:<table><tbody><tr><td>2016 Chartogne-Taillet Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs
Heurtebise&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>96</td></tr><tr><td>2007 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Les Butteaux 1er Cru&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>91</td></tr><tr><td>2010 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Les Butteaux 1er Cru&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>95</td></tr><tr><td>1988 Lisini Prefilloserro&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>95</td></tr></tbody></table><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501818284-gaigai+interior_VT.JPG">The interior at Gaigai.Next, Gaigai in Azabu Juban, where I
ventured on my first night with two wine friends, Steve and Oliver San, who I
must thank for accompanying our yakitori with splendid wines. The buzzy and
lively ambiance here strikes me immediately. Dimly
lit with dark walls, it feels like the place to be. Apparently,
the presence of a nearby TV station means that you might spot the odd celebrity
enjoying a late-night libation, since service continues until 4 a.m. The main
room centres around the yakitori grill and its surrounding L-shaped counter, with
private rooms behind us and an eye-catching vase of flowers behind the chef.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501841878-gaigai+sashimi_VT.JPG">Tuna, sea bream and salmon sashimi with shredded daikon and shiso leaf.Yakitori is the main feature on the menu, but
not the only one. Over this dinner, I ate some of the freshest sashimi and sea
urchin of my entire trip, and the juiciest, most intense tomatoes I have
devoured in ages, not to mention a chateaubriand that melts in your mouth.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501885474-gaigai+yakitori_VT.JPG">Yakitori.The
yakitori at Gaigai serves rare cuts such as seseri (chicken neck), bonbochi
(chicken tail) and chicken heart. I found the quality consistently high, my
favourite the chicken thigh from the Nagoya Kōchin breed. This place fits
nicely in the sub-Michelin category, avoiding frills but serving dishes that
are a cut above the rest at a reasonable price: 7,700 yen (about £36) for a set
menu.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780501986119-heurtebise_VT.JPG">We polished
off four splendid bottles, commencing with the Extra Brut 2016 Blanc de
Blancs Heurtebise from Chartogne-Taillet, disgorged in
November 2019 with 4 grams per liter of dosage. I fell for this hook, line and
sinker. With hints of brioche, grilled hazelnut and limoncello on the nose, it
displays wonderful delineation and focus, though blind I might have misread it
as a Blanc de Noirs. The palate offers all the weight and depth you crave,
counterbalanced by a sizzling thread of acidity. Exuding real purity and grace
with perfect sapidity on the finish, this is just a fabulous Champagne. Two
whites followed: same wine, different vintages.

The
2007 Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru from Domaine François Raveneau has an
attractive bouquet with scents of chalk, orange pith and a touch of chamomile.
The palate is mature, though the end of its drinking window is certainly not in
sight. That said, no producer is beyond criticism, not even one this prestigious,
and I feel the 2007 is missing a little race and depth on the finish. That was
highlighted by Raveneau’s scintillating 2010 Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru.
There is far more energy here compared to the 2007, more articulation of
terroir, chalk and sea spray intertwining with a patina of yellow fruit. The
palate upholds that sense of drive, deriving electrical tension from its
acidity The faintest reduction binds the finish together and lends captivating
penetration. Good luck finding a better Butteaux!<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780502007840-lisini+1988_VT.JPG">Just one red…but one of the rarest Italian wines
that no longer exists. Before expounding the virtues of the 1988 Prefilloserro
from Lisini, I do recommend reading my <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/cellar-favorite-1985-lisini-prefillossero-aug-2024">Cellar Favorite</a>
for the 1985, which delves into its fascinating backstory. Oliver San had saved
the 1988 for my return visit, and again, I fell for its charms. The nose is
youthful considering its age, with almost Volnay-like red fruit, gaining
complexity with each passing moment. That Burgundian allure translates to the
palate, which displays sublime balance, caressing, fluid tannins and gentle yet
insistent grip. I actually liked it more than the person who so generously
poured his last bottle, though by the end of the dinner, he was just as captivated.Yakitori Ichimatsu - Osaka〒530-0003 OsakaKita WardDojima1 Chome−5−1&nbsp;The Food:Oden
ricotta cheeseQuail’s
egg and wood-fired chicken wing yakitoriChicken
pâté sandwichAssorted
yakitori: chicken gizzard, Nagoya chicken thigh and breast with ponzu and
ginger, sukiyaki, charcoal-seasoned chicken breast, five-spice seasoned chicken
wing, chicken kidney







Star
anise-infused rice with chicken stockThe Wines:<table><tbody><tr><td>2020 Alvina Pernot Meursault Les Charmes 1er Cru&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>94</td></tr><tr><td>2023 Domaine André Vatan Sancerre Les Charmes&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>90</td></tr></tbody></table>Finally, what might be considered the apogee of yakitori:
the marvellous Michelin-starred Yakitori Ichimatsu in Osaka. I found
this restaurant a couple of weeks beforehand, and though the counter was full,
we secured a semi-private room that meant we were not cut off from the action.
Chef Hideto Takeda uses the Hinai-jidori breed of chicken from the Akita
prefecture and has developed a skin-wrapping technique for his chicken wings to
enhance umami and flavour. Like Gaigai, the omakase menu warms up with non-skewered
dishes.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780502160990-ichi+matsu+cheeses_VT.JPG">Oden ricotta cheese.Our waiter enters with three “bags” of maturing
ricotta cheese strung to a piece of wood, used for the oden served in a chicken
broth. There are indescribably delicious quail eggs that explode in the mouth, so
creamy and intense. Then, a small dish of 20-month-aged chicken from Hiroshima,
prepared like prosciutto and served with dill flowers and ribbons of daikon, as
well as a smoked gratin soup with Caciocavallo cheese.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780502204542-ichi+matsu+chicken+wings_VT.JPG">Wood-fired chicken wings with incredibly
fresh local tomatoes.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780502231760-ichi+matsu+yakitori_VT.JPG">Chicken gizzards&nbsp;taken to their zenith.Soon, skewers
rattle out at such a pace that it is almost difficult to keep up: the chicken
pâté sandwich, chicken gizzards, sublime thighs and breast from Nagoya mixed
with ponzu and ginger, wood-fired chicken wings with slow-cooked Osaka tomatoes
(insane), sukiyaki-style chicken seasoned with coffee beans (you read that
correctly), chicken breast seasoned with charcoal powder and five-spice, tsukune,
and chicken kidney wrapped in lettuce.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780502252051-ichi+matsu+rice+bowl_VT.JPG">Star anise-infused rice with chicken stock.Towards
the end, our waiter takes the candle that he had lit earlier and pours it into
a bowl of rice. Lo and behold, the candle has been melting butter. This is followed
by a fiery curry rice made from reduced chicken thigh stock.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1780502344788-meursault+charmes+pernot_VT+2.JPG">This
restaurant has a modest but well-chosen wine list, mainly from classic wine
regions, plus some Japanese wine. They were perfectly fine accepting corkage,
which was a reasonable 5,000 yen, about £20. The 2020 Meursault Les Charmes
1er Cru from Alvina Pernot is starting to fire on all cylinders.
Crisp, vivid and tensile, almost Perrières-like, the 2020 exudes winemaking
class and disguises that season’s warm summer with style. The palate has the
weight and density one expects from this vineyard, though not honeyed, the
acidity exquisitely offsetting the powerful, mineral-rich fruit. I have lauded
Pernot’s wines since their inception, and this bottle demonstrates their
potential for bottle age. I wanted to order another from their list and chose
the 2023 Sancerre Les Charmes from Domaine André Vatan. Gooseberry,
nettle and grassy meadow scents unfold on the nose that cannot compete with the
minéralité of the preceding Burgundy, but it is nonetheless clean and
delineated. Likewise, the palate is simple yet fresh and well balanced, Anjou
pear and gooseberry again defining the satisfying finish.



Yakitori
is not seen as one of Japan’s delicacies, partly due to its heritage as a
staple of the commoners’ diet, born out of poverty. But the country’s talented
chefs seek to take yakitori to the highest level by sourcing the finest
ingredients and putting their own ingenious twist on standard recipes. I have
never lost my soft spot for yakitori, and I am happy to see it being
reappraised and reinvented within Japan’s contemporary dining scene. © 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr>You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-la-kanro-osaka-japan-jun-2026">Vinous Table: La Kanro, Osaka, Japan</a>, Neal Martin, June 2026<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-hortensia-tokyo-japan-may-2026">Vinous Table: Hortensia, Tokyo, Japan</a>, Neal Martin, June 2026<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-moritaya-tokyo-japan-aug-2025">Vinous Table: Moritaya, Tokyo, Japan</a>, Neal Martin, August 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-maison-fujiya-hokkaido-japan-aug-2025">Vinous Table: Maison Fujiya</a>, Neal Martin, August 2025

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social