Ehime Original · Iron-Plate Skewers
Imabari Yakitori
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It isn't grilled over open charcoal like standard yakitori — it's pressed and seared on a flat iron plate under a heavy weight, giving it a crackling, almost griddled crust charcoal skewers don't get.
Skewered chicken, pork or offal is cooked pressed flat against a hot iron plate, often under a heavy metal press, then brushed with a sweet-savory soy tare, producing a seared, slightly charred crust distinct from open-flame yakitori.
Why it's made this way: The style is specific to Imabari in Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku, where postwar stalls adopted the iron-plate technique instead of charcoal grilling, and it remains a defining regional variation that locals distinguish sharply from mainland yakitori.
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