The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken

In a Japanese city, ordering a dish called "Kashira" does not guarantee it will contain chicken. The city is Higashimatsuyama, located in Saitama, just a short train ride from Tokyo. This unique dish, known as Yakitori-jū, was first created in 1956 by the founder of Dai matsuya, a yakitori store. The original recipe involved grilling pork kashira, which is meat from a pig's temple and cheek, and serving it with a spicy miso sauce.

This unique dish became a hit with locals and has been a staple of the city's food culture ever since. The restaurant, Saitamaya Higashimatsuyama Ekimae-ten, offers a variety of lunch sets, including the Yakitori-jū set, which includes Kashira, Negima (chicken and green onion), Tsukune (chicken meatballs), and Eggplant. The Kashira is a popular choice among customers due to its satisfying chew and rich umami flavor, which is a far cry from the typical chicken skewers found at other local eateries.