Yakitori Grill Stall, Japan

Yakitori vendors like this one grill skewered chicken over binchotan, a white charcoal prized in Japan for burning hot and clean with little smoke or odor. The charcoal is made from ubame oak, slow-fired in a kiln process that can take over a week to complete. Stalls of this kind are common fixtures in izakaya districts and covered arcades, where cooks work from narrow street-facing counters just large enough for a grill, a fan to manage the coals, and space for a handful of customers. The paper sign taped to the glass is a handwritten notice, a common substitute for printed menus at small, family-run operations.

Photo taken in March 2023.