Food and Dining

When you think about Japanese food, it is probably sushi that most readily comes to mind, followed by rice and miso soup, with knife-wheeling teppanyaki chefs serving up wagyu completing the triumvirate. However, perhaps one of the most varied – not to mention popular – is ‘yakitori,’ and that it is not considered one of Japan’s outstanding contributions to the culinary pantheon is a shocking state of affairs. As it so perfectly accompanies a few post-work drinks, grilled chicken (a pretty literal translation of yakitori) served on skewers is pretty much ubiquitous at izakayas and yakitori-yas (yakitori restaurants), and in Nagoya, you can find some absolutely stupendous spots at which to dine on this quintessential chicken treat. If you’re not acquainted with yakitori, check out the JIS guide here. Musashi It is perhaps apt that one of the best skewer-based restaurants is (presumably) named after Japan’s most famed swordsman, but Musashi in the Meieki area is well up to the task. There are many booth and table spots in the restaurant, but the place to be is at their L-shaped counter, with the fresh skewers presented before you as you watch the grill chef, center stage on a raised dias,…