Yakiba Grilling Techniques: Shio-yaki, Furishio-yaki, Yuan-yaki, Tare-yaki, and Yakitori

Grilling in Japanese cuisine is anything but casual. Yakiba Grilling Techniques, the fifth volume in the Japanese Culinary Academy Series, offers a deep, methodical look at a category of cooking that is rarely covered in such detail in English. What might appear simple—grilled fish, skewered chicken—emerges here as a highly controlled and deliberate process, shaped by centuries of technique and an emphasis on subtle, precise outcomes.

The book begins with an overview of heat itself: how different temperatures, distances, and timing affect ingredients; how salt or marinades used in advance alter both chemistry and flavor; and how small adjustments in preparation can produce dramatically different textures and results. The goal isn’t just to follow a method, but to understand what each choice contributes.

Four core yakiba techniques (shio-yaki, furishio-yaki, yuan-yaki, and tare-yaki)are presented with clarity and repetition, using step-by-step photo sequences that include time stamps. These help to show, for example, how sea bass requires just under three minutes of cooking, while yellowtail or chicken thighs take significantly longer. These differences aren’t incidental; they’re essential to producing the desired flavor, moisture, and appearance for each ingredient.

Beyond fish and poultry, the book also covers skewering techniques for yakitori, instructions for using both traditional and electric grills, and recipes for more than 40 grilled dishes. As with the other volumes in the series, the photography is highly structured and precise—clearly documenting not just outcomes but the techniques behind them.

This is a rare and focused resource for cooks looking to understand Japanese grilling on its own terms, not as an adaptation of Western barbecue traditions, but as a craft rooted in balance, restraint, and attention to detail.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.

Also in this series:

Introduction to Japanese Cuisine: Nature, History and Culture

Flavoring and Seasoning: Dashi, Umami, and Fermented Foods

Mukoita I, Cutting Techniques: Fish 

Mukoita II, Cutting Techniques: Seafood, Poultry & Vegetables