Savoring Every Part of the Chicken: What is "Bibai Yakitori"?

Next up is another Hokkaido yakitori classic, "Bibai Yakitori." The Sorachi region, where Bibai City is located, once thrived as Japan's largest coal-producing area. Bibai Yakitori was beloved as a source of energy for the coal miners who toiled in the life-threatening conditions of the mines.

Its most distinctive feature is the ingredients on the skewer. This one does use chicken, but it uses the entire bird, leaving nothing to waste. That's right, "Bibai Yakitori" is a delicacy where a single skewer holds not only thigh meat and chicken skin, but also giblets like kinkan (unlaid eggs), gizzard, liver, and heart.

Image source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Uchi no Kyodo Ryori"

Apparently, there's a specific order for the ingredients: from the bottom, it's chicken skin, onion, giblets, and then thigh meat. The philosophy is that if you're going to prepare a chicken, you should use every part of its life without waste. It's said that the coal miners of Bibai would heartily devour dozens of these skewers at a time... That would certainly give you a power boost!

The originator of this style is said to be a restaurant called "Mifune." Since its creation in the Showa era, the style has spread to many other shops in the city and continues to this day. And the pro move for finishing your meal is to take the meat off the Bibai Yakitori skewer and put it into a bowl of hot soba noodles. By the way, Mifune is still in business, so why not go and chow down while imagining what it was like back then?

Image source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Uchi no Kyodo Ryori"

Did "Yakitori" Fuel Past Industries?

What did you think? It's fascinating that the soul foods of Muroran and Bibai, two cities connected through the coal industry, are both called "yakitori" despite their different ingredients. Both types of yakitori were a source of strength for the people of their time. Thinking about how our current lives are built upon that foundation might just add another layer of flavor. Be sure to visit and taste this deliciousness for yourself!

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