Soul food of Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture!Discover the Locally Loved Matsusaka Chicken Yakiniku

This service includes sponsored advertisements.
article thumbnail image

Matsusaka City in Mie Prefecture is famous as a "Wagyu city." But it is also cherished by locals for a unique, lesser-known specialty: Chicken Yakiniku. This delicious dish, where grilled chicken is paired with a savory miso sauce, has become a beloved local treat. Here’s everything you need to know...

Written by

Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture is located almost in the center of Japan, where you can enjoy world-class gourmet Matsusaka beef, rich history and culture, and beautiful nature. During the Edo period, Matsusaka was the final post town for pilgrimages to Ise-mairi (a pilgrimage to Japan's highest-ranking shrine). These merchants succeeded in trading Matsusaka cotton in Edo and brought prosperity to Matsusaka.

more

Introducing "Yakitori Chicken," a popular gourmet dish from Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture!

Matsusaka City is located in the center of Mie Prefecture. It is attractive for its abundant nature and historical townscape, but it also has a lot of delicious food, such as the famous Matsusaka beef and B-class gourmet! This time, we will introduce the specialties of Matsusaka City over 7 parts ♪ In the second part, we will explain the characteristics and how to eat chicken yakitori, which is loved by locals.

Chicken yakiniku is the soul food of Matsusaka City, and was featured in the popular manga series "Kodoku no Gurume" which was later made into a TV drama! Please check it out.

Why is Chicken Yakiniku Popular in Matsusaka?

In the suburbs of Matsusaka city, there are many farms that have been raising egg-laying hens (chickens raised to lay eggs) for a long time, and there was a custom of grilling the hens on a charcoal grill after the egg-laying season and eating them . This is said to be the origin of Matsusaka chicken yakiniku.

In the late 1960s, the number of restaurants specializing in chicken, not just beef, increased in the city. It is said that households began to enjoy cheaper and more convenient chicken yakiniku . From then until now, chicken yakiniku has been loved and enjoyed by many residents.

In recent years, it has won multiple awards at the local gourmet festival "B-1 Grand Prix" and has become famous nationwide after being featured on television and gourmet programs. It has now become so popular that it is called "Matsusaka City's soul food."

The Unique Flavor Profile of Chicken Yakiniku

The chicken yakiniku is usually made by dipping bite-sized pieces of chicken in miso sauce, grilling them on a grill, and then dipping them in more miso sauce . The basic miso sauce is a combination of red miso (soybean miso) and garlic.

The rich, sweet and spicy sauce goes perfectly with rice and beer! Specialty restaurants offer a variety of cuts on the menu, so you can enjoy the different flavors and textures.

Definition of Matsusaka Chicken Yakiniku Restaurant

    Eat it with "miso sauce"
    Grilled on a grill
    Specializing in grilled chicken

The definition of a Matsusaka chicken yakiniku restaurant is the three above: they use the "miso sauce" that is the key to the flavor, they grill the chicken on a wire rack instead of a hot plate, and they have chicken yakiniku on the menu.

The flavors of the miso sauces offered by specialty shops vary widely , and in many cases the recipes are kept secret! Since you can enjoy different flavors at each shop, some people go around to different chicken yakiniku restaurants looking for different flavors.

A Variety of Flavors: Different Cuts and Rare Finds

In addition to the standard thigh and breast meat , chicken yakiniku restaurants offer a variety of other cuts on the menu, such as chicken neck and skin . Some restaurants also offer rare cuts, and allow you to compare the taste of young chickens and adult chickens.

The thigh meat of young chickens is chewy and the breast meat has a refreshing taste. The meat of adult chickens is called " hine " and is satisfying and full of flavor.

We also recommend the rare cut of chicken "neck " which has a chewy texture and juicy taste, and the " liver " which has no strong smell.

Try Matsusaka chicken yakiniku, perfect with rice and beer

Matsusaka City's grilled chicken is an exquisite gourmet dish where you can enjoy carefully selected meat and miso sauce. It is a soul food that has long been loved by locals, and is a specialty that you should try at least once. Please come to Matsusaka to try it.

[For more information about Matsusaka City, click here]

【Related Articles】

Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture is located almost in the center of Japan, where you can enjoy world-class gourmet Matsusaka beef, rich history and culture, and beautiful nature. During the Edo period, Matsusaka was the final post town for pilgrimages to Ise-mairi (a pilgrimage to Japan's highest-ranking shrine). These merchants succeeded in trading Matsusaka cotton in Edo and brought prosperity to Matsusaka.

more
The information presented in this article is based on the time it was written. Note that there may be changes in the merchandise, services, and prices that have occurred after this article was published. Please contact the facility or facilities in this article directly before visiting. Some of our articles contain affiliate links. We kindly ask our readers to exercise careful judgement when making a purchase or booking a service online.

The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.