Grilled ── Yakitori
Furisode
chicken shoulder meat — between the wing and the breast
The part of the wing nearest the shoulder, its name said to come from a resemblance to a furisode kimono sleeve. Leaner than thigh meat but juicier than breast, and yielded in only small amounts per bird.
Lineage
What it's made of
The part of the wing nearest the shoulder, its name said to come from a resemblance to a furisode kimono sleeve. Leaner than thigh meat but juicier than breast, it sits in a flavor register squarely between the two. Its fiber runs fine like the breast's, while its fat content leans closer to the thigh's — a cut that carries traits of both. Close to the muscle used for flapping the wing, it's said to carry a good balance of spring and softness.
How it's made
Yielded in only small amounts per bird, it's considered a rare cut, and suits quick cooking methods like skewer-grilling. Being close to the base of the wing, it's tangled with bone and sinew, so cutting it out cleanly takes real effort. Separating the meat neatly from the bone is said to take real skill in reading exactly where the joint sits. Being rare, only a limited number of shops carry it, and it's not unusual to find it only at dedicated yakitori counters.
Why it took this shape
Filling the gap between the breast's plainness and the thigh's richness is exactly what gives this cut its particular character. Combined with how little of it there is per bird, it's often treated as a connoisseur's order. Since it never circulates in the volume that breast or thigh meat does, it tends to get special billing on a yakitori menu. Sitting between the breast and the thigh, it also serves as a cut that appeals to a wide range of tastes.
Before you go
- Otoshi and how to payAt izakaya, a small dish called otoshi often arrives without being ordered, tipping isn't customary, and how you pay depends on the shop.
- Izakaya customsFrom the small starter dish called otoshi, the classic "for now, a draft beer" first order, ordering a little at a time, choosing tare or shio for yakitori, soy sauce dishes, a closing course, and last orders and smoking rules.
- Dining with kids, a wheelchair, or big luggagePractical notes on eating out with children, getting around with a wheelchair, and what to do with a suitcase or large bags.