What is the Japanese style of grilled chicken skewers?

The Japanese style of grilled chicken skewers is yakitori.

Yakitori consists of bite-sized chicken pieces threaded onto skewers and grilled, traditionally over a charcoal fire. The high heat cooks the meat quickly and can give chicken skin a crisp texture and a lightly smoky aroma. Restaurants may also use gas or electric grills, although charcoal remains prized for its flavor.

Yakitori is usually seasoned in one of two ways: shio, or salt, and tare, a sweet-savory glaze commonly made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Popular cuts include thigh, breast, wings, skin, liver, gizzard, and tsukune, a chicken meatball. Negima combines chicken with pieces of green onion.

A common mix-up is treating yakitori as only plain chicken breast. In Japan, the name can cover many chicken parts, and some restaurants also grill pork or other ingredients under broader kushiyaki menus. Yakitori-ya specialize in the dish, while stalls and carts commonly sell it at festivals and near busy train stations.