5 yakitori rooms worth the trip across Japan, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Japan.
Bird Land Ginza ★ 4.7 · Tokyo
ginza · Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
Toshihiro Wada's Bird Land in Tokyo Ginza grills Ibaraki shamo over binchotan, the basement that invented elevated yakitori. One Michelin star.
Tip: Closed Sundays, Mondays and public holidays. Reservation by phone only, six weeks out.
Yakitori Toriyoshi Susukino ★ 4.2 · Sapporo
susukino · Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0806, Japan
A Susukino yakitori counter working Hokkaido jidori chicken over white binchotan. Skewer-by-skewer omakase and a sake list weighted to Hokkaido breweries.
Tip: Counter only; book a week ahead. Sake list weighted to Hokkaido breweries like Otokoyama.
Yakitori Toriyoshi Susukino ★ 4.2 · Sapporo
susukino · Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0806, Japan
A Susukino yakitori counter working Hokkaido jidori chicken over white binchotan. Skewer-by-skewer omakase and a sake list weighted to Hokkaido breweries.
Tip: Counter only; book a week ahead. Hokkaido-only sake list, ask for Otokoyama or Kunimare.
Kani to Yakitori Enishi ★ 4.2 · Sapporo
susukino · Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0806, Japan
A Hosui-Susukino room pairing yakitori and Hokkaido crab in one menu. The three-crab platter lands alongside jidori-chicken skewers at the counter.
Tip: Reserve via Tabelog; counter seats look across into the open grill.
Yakitori Bouzu ★ 4.1 · Sapporo
susukino · Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0804, Japan
A bright Susukino yakitori counter three minutes from the subway. Bin-chotan grill stays low and slow; sake list pulled almost entirely from Hokkaido.
Tip: Walk-ins after 21:30 most nights; counter only, 12 seats Walk-ins usually OK.