Yakitori under the tracks at Yurokucho, Tokyo

One evening in Tokyo, we headed out for some yakitori under the JR tracks near Yurokucho station – conveniently just a few blocks from our hotel!

There are quite a few restaurants in the area, but only two in the actual railroad underpass – one sponsored by Kirin and the other by Asahi.  D prefers Asahi beer, and I preferred the look of the Asahi restaurant (slightly more open air), so we chose that one.

The guy running the place came over to explain the menu to us – only a few of the meats were available and we ordered most of them: chicken, chicken ball (tsukune), chicken skin, pork heart, pork intestine.  We also got leek, eggplant, and garlic skewers.

We started at an outdoor “table” made of beer crates, sipping our Asahi beers, and then moved inside the small, plastic-curtained “restaurant” when our food arrived.  It was loud and smoky (from cigarettes as well as grill smoke), and I was amazed to see how much activity was taking place inside the tiny, slant-ceilinged kitchen.

Our skewers were all great – I especially liked the tsukune, leek, and garlic – and it was fun to have an experience so different from most of our carefully booked dinners.

Tips on finding it:  Head under the JR tracks close to the Yurakucho station – as you face the Imperial Palace, make a left.  The yakitori alley is just about a block after the main road you’ll cross.