Kushiyaki is a Japanese technique that includes various skewered and grilled meat, seafood, or even vegetables and tofu. The ingredients are placed on bamboo skewers and are typically seasoned with either salt (shio) or a reduced and sweetened version of soy sauce that is known as tare.
Kushiyaki should always be freshly prepared and served immediately after grilling, while the typical accompaniments usually include edamame, salads, or pickled vegetables. The oldest and the most common type of kushiyaki is yakitori which is prepared with various chicken cuts, and may also include offal such as chicken hearts or kidneys.
Various cuts of pork, beef, seafood, and vegetables are also commonly employed. Different types of establishments serve kushiyaki dishes, including izakaya bars, while some specialize exclusively in this technique, and sometimes even in one kind of kushiyaki.