In Japan, casual dining establishments with the purpose of enjoying food while drinking are known as izakaya. When it comes to classic dishes enjoyed at izakaya, yakitori, grilled chicken skewers, take the spotlight. For overseas visitors who want to get a full-on Japanese izakaya experience, one restaurant we would like to recommend is “Ueno Torifuku (referred to hereafter as “Torifuku”).”…

Tucked away on Spain-Zaka (Spanish Hill) in Tokyo’s Shibuya district is “BITYUYA CHOUZAEMON” (pronounced ‘bichūya chōzaemon’), a restaurant that feels like a cozy, well-kept secret. The restaurant radiates an old-world charm and specializes in yakitori (skewered chicken dishes), grilled to perfection over binchōtan, a type of high-quality white charcoal made from ubame oak. Popular at lunchtime: “Nama Oyakodon” made with…