Toribi

When looking for charcoal-grilled yakitori around Hatanodai in Shinagawa Ward, the care put into skewering and grilling makes all the difference. Toribi presents a menu designed to showcase the full appeal of chicken, from affordable everyday skewers to prized cuts harvested in only tiny quantities each day.

Familiar charcoal skewers such as chicken thigh, negima chicken and leek, and heart start from ¥100 per skewer (1 skewer), making it easy to order steadily throughout the evening. Liver is grilled to remain tender on the tongue, while limited-availability cuts—including sot-l'y-laisse (chicken oysters) offering crisp skin with rich meat, shoulder furisode, and skirt cut harami—add plenty of variety. A solid lineup of vegetable skewers featuring eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, shishito peppers, and tomatoes provides welcome interludes between skewers of meat.

Plates to enjoy while waiting for skewers to cook, as well as finishing dishes, show similar thought. Small snacks like potato salad with smoky iburigakko pickles and chicken skin in ponzu keep drinks flowing smoothly, while richly flavored oyakodon and chicken broth soup are popular ways to end the meal.

Drinks are equally well supported, from Kirin Ichiban Shibori on tap or in large sharing bottles to authentic shochu and whisky. Shochu selections include Kanehachi, Nakanaka, and Sato Kuro, alongside Japanese whiskies such as Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Ichiro's Malt, plus refreshing tea highballs mixed with green tea or Uji matcha.

Operating hours run from 18:00 in the evening until 3:00 the following morning, making the shop a dependable option for late dining on every day except Sunday. Counter seats and raised tatami seating accommodate solo visitors and small groups settling in for a focused drink. As seats are limited, booking ahead is advisable if you have a set date in mind.