/ Osaka Food / English
How to Eat Yakitori: Off the Skewer, Sharing, and Where the Sticks Go
Should you eat yakitori straight from the skewer, or slide it off to share? Here is how to hold a skewer, share it, where to put the empty sticks and how to use the table seasonings, with photos from Yakitori Senkichi in Minamikyuhoji.
Written by Koetsu Co., Ltd.
When yakitori arrives, many people are not sure whether to pick up the skewer and eat from it or slide the pieces off with chopsticks. In a group, there is also the question of how to share one skewer. This guide walks through how to hold a skewer, how to share, where to put the empty sticks and how to use the seasonings on the table.
Eating straight from the skewer is fine
Yakitori is grilled and served on the skewer, so picking it up and eating from it is completely normal. If you ordered a few skewers for yourself, just eat from the piece at the tip downwards. There is no fixed etiquette, so choose whatever is easiest for you.
A freshly grilled skewer is hot, both the meat and the stick. Hold it near the bottom end and let the first piece cool for a moment. The tip of the skewer is sharp, so bring it to your mouth sideways rather than pushing it straight in.
Taking it off the skewer to share
When a group wants a taste of everything, sliding the pieces off and sharing them on small plates is common, and it lets you try more kinds. Separated pieces cool down faster, though, so eat them soon after. It is considerate to ask the others at the table before taking a skewer apart.
Taking pieces off is easy. Hold the bottom of the skewer in one hand and use chopsticks in the other to push the pieces off towards the tip, one at a time. Pulling everything off at once tends to break the meat, so move them gradually. With skewers that alternate chicken and leek, such as negima, try to give everyone some of both.
| Situation | Suggested way | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Skewers you ordered for yourself | Eat from the skewer | Easiest way to enjoy them hot |
| Sharing one skewer among several people | Slide off with chopsticks onto small plates | Eat soon after; pieces cool quickly |
| Eating with children | An adult takes the pieces off | Mind the sharp tip and the heat |
Where to put the empty skewers
Put finished skewers on the edge of your own plate, or in the skewer holder (a small cup for used sticks) if the table has one. If you are unsure, just ask the staff. Some restaurants count the sticks when preparing the bill, so keep them together on the table rather than dropping or taking them.
When placing them on a plate, line the tips up in the same direction so nobody gets pricked when clearing the table. Avoid putting used skewers back on a shared plate that still has food on it.
Taste first, then reach for the table seasonings
Yakitori tables often have seasonings such as salt and ichimi chilli powder. In Yakitori Senkichi's own photo, there are containers labelled 塩 (salt), 椒 and 一味 (ichimi chilli), plus a small flask labelled 醤油 (soy sauce). Skewers usually come already seasoned with salt or tare sauce, so take a bite first and add a little at a time only if you want more.
From the photo alone we cannot tell whether the 椒 container holds sansho pepper or black pepper. If you want to know, ask the staff: kore wa nan desu ka ("What is this?"). The seasonings and how they are set out may vary by season or table.
A few things to keep in mind
- Freshly grilled skewers are hot, so hold them at the bottom
- The tips are sharp, so do not point them at anyone
- For children, take the pieces off first
- Keep used sticks together on your plate or in the holder
- When in doubt, ask the staff
Eating from the skewer and sliding pieces off to share are both perfectly fine. What matters is eating while the yakitori is hot and making sure everyone at the table is comfortable. For cuts and salt versus tare, see our guide to ordering yakitori in Osaka; for drinks, see your first drink at a yakitori restaurant.
Yakitori Senkichi Minamikyuhoji is in Minamikyuhoji-machi 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka. Its official site lists skewers from ¥220 and opening hours of 17:00 to 22:30, with some irregular closing days. For reservations or to check how busy it is, please call 06-4256-3135.
