Dec 7, 2020
On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: What is
yakitori?
Topics
Discussed
- What yakitori is
- The difference between yakitori when it is written using kanji
and when it is written using only hiragana
- What qualifies as yakitori
- An overview of the history of yakitori
- The supposed origin story of the skewered sparrows that the
area around Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto is known for
- How eating meat was considered taboo throughout much of Japan's
history
- Yakitori during the Meiji Period
- Yakitori shops
- The pros and cons of using charcoal as opposed to propane when
grilling yakitori
- The specialized names used to refer to chicken parts
- The supposed origin of the term negima
- What part of a chicken the term bonjiri refers to and
the etymology of the term
- The many meanings/usages of the term kimo
- What sunazuri is
- What part of the chicken is referred to as a mame
(bean) at a yakitori shop
- What part of a chicken a chōchin/kinkan
is
- The interesting history behind Higashi Matsuyama City' (Saitama
Prefecture) pork "yakitori"
- A yakitori vending machine in Ishinomaki City in Miyagi
Prefecture
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Sources, Links, Videos, Etc.
Here are some of the main Japanese-language sources used when
preparing for this episode.
Here is the list of chicken parts we covered in this
episode.
Yakitori Terminology List
- Momo (モモ、もも): Thigh meat
- Sasami (ささみ): Meat from the inner breast, chicken
tenderloin
- Negima (ねぎま、葱鮪), Hasami (はさみ): In the context of yakitori this
refers to a skewer of chicken and green onions
- Note: This was not made clear in the episode but according to
the sources we found the term negima came from the name of a stew
made of green onions and tuna. This dish was called
negimanabe (葱鮪鍋). As explained in the episode, eventually
people started using chicken became more affordable than tuna and
so the term negima came to be associated with chicken rather than
tuna.
- Mune (むね): Chicken breast
- Bonjiri (ぼんじり): The meat at tail of the chicken
- Kimo (肝、きも), Rebā (レバー): Liver
- Zuri (ずり), Sunazuri (砂ずり), Sunagimo (砂肝): Gizzard
- Nankotsu (なんこつ、軟骨): Cartilage
- Yagen nankotsu (ヤゲン軟骨): Cartilage (connects to the breast
bone)
- Hatsu (八ツ), Shinzō (心臓), Kokoro (こころ): Heart
- Mame (まめ), Mamegimo (まめぎも): Chicken pancreas
- Seseri (せせり), Soroban (そろばん), Nekku (ネック): Chicken neck
meat
- Kinkan (キンカン): Chicken ovary
- Chōuchin (チョウチン): Chicken ovary with egg yolk
- Note: Although in the episode we give the impression that
kinkan and chōchin are the same, it seems that they are actually
two different types of yakitori. However, there is a chance that
some places may not distinguish so strictly between the two.
The latest episode of the Japan Station podcast, can be
found below.
For even more information on the history of chickens and the
chicken industry in Japan, check out the Japan Station
episode below.
If you would like to check out the Kimito Designs shop, then use
the link below. Remember to use the coupon code OPENING10 when you
check out to get 10% off (valid until the end of 2020).
Japanese Vocabulary
List
Most episodes feature at least one or two interesting Japanese
words or phrases. Here’s some of the ones that came up on this
episode. All information is from Jim Breen's
WWWJDIC.
- Tare
- たれ (n) (1) sauce (esp. soy or mirin-based dipping sauce)
- Butabara
- 豚バラ : 豚バラ; 豚ばら; 豚肋 【ぶたバラ(豚バラ); ぶたばら(豚ばら,豚肋)】 (n) (See バラ肉)
boneless pork rib; boned pork rib
- Suzume
- スズメ : 雀 【すずめ(P); スズメ】 (n) (1) tree sparrow (Passer
montanus)
- Sasa
- 笹 : 笹(P); 篠; 小竹 【ささ】 (n) bamboo grass; generally smaller
species of running bamboo that do not shed their sheaths (e.g. Sasa
spp.)
- Take
- 竹 【たけ(P); タケ】 (n) (1) bamboo (any grass of subfamily
Bambusoideae)
- Negi
- ネギ : 葱 【ねぎ(P); き(ok); ネギ】 (n) (uk) Welsh onion (Allium
fistulosum); green onion; spring onion
- Maguro
- マグロ : 鮪 【まぐろ(P); しび; マグロ】 (n) (1) (uk) tuna (edible fish,
Thunnus spp.); tunny; (n) (2) (uk) Pacific bluefin tuna (edible
fish, Thunnus orientalis); (n)
- Toro
- トロ : とろ(P); トロ (n) fatty cut (esp. of tuna belly)
- Hasami
- ハサミ : 鋏(P); 剪刀 【はさみ(P); ハサミ】 (n) (1) (uk) (See 螯) scissors;
shears; clippers
- Bonbori
- ぼんぼり (n) paper-covered lamp or lantern
- Shiri
- 尻 : 尻(P); 臀; 後 【しり】 (n) (1) buttocks; behind; rump; bottom;
hips
- Kimo
- 肝 : 肝(P); 胆(P) 【きも(P); たん(胆)】 (n) (1) liver; innards; (n) (2)
courage; spirit; pluck; guts; (n) (3) (きも only) crux; essential
point
- Kimodameshi
- 肝試し : 肝試し; 肝だめし; 胆試し 【きもだめし】 (n) test of courage (e.g. at a
frightening place such as a graveyard); dare
- Kushi
- 串 【くし】 (n) (1) spit; skewer
- Eko
- エコ (adj-na,pref) (abbr) (See エコロジカル) ecological; eco-
We Want Your
Questions
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something about Japanese culture that you would like to learn more
about? Is there something in Japanese history that you would like
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to answer, so if you have one, please send it to ichimon@japankyo.com.
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Thanks
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Ichimon Japan cover art: Produced by Erik R.
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Full Show Notes
What are you funniest Japanese mistakes? | Ichimon Japan 30