Yakiniku

Yakiniku(Japanese:焼き肉/焼肉), meaning "grilledmeat", is aJapaneseterm that, in its broadest sense, refers to grilled meat cuisine.
Today, "yakiniku" commonly refers to a style of cooking bite-size meat (usuallybeefandoffal) and vegetables ongridironsorgriddlesover a flame of wood charcoals carbonized bydry distillation(sumibi, 炭火) or a gas/electric grill. It is one of the most populardishesin Japan. The origin of contemporary yakiniku is considered to beKorean barbecue, one of the most popular dishes inKorean cuisine.
"Yakiniku" originally referred to western "barbecue" food, the term being popularized by Japanese writerKanagaki Robun(仮名垣魯文) in hisSeiyo Ryoritsu(i.e. "western food handbook") in 1872 (Meiji period).The term later became associated withKorean-derived cuisine (Korean barbecue) during the earlyShōwa period.Due to theKorean War, the terms associated with Korea in Japan were divided into North Korea (Kita Chōsen) and South Korea (Kankoku); the reference to a "yakiniku restaurant" arose as apolitically correctterm for restaurants of either origin.
The present style of yakiniku restaurants are derived from Korean restaurants in Osaka and Tokyo, which opened around 1945 byKoreans in Japan.In a yakiniku restaurant, diners order prepared raw ingredients (individually or as a set) which are brought to the table. The ingredients are cooked by the diners on a grill built into the table, several pieces at a time. The ingredients are then dipped in sauces known astarebefore being eaten. The most common sauce is made ofsoy saucemixed withsake,mirin, sugar, garlic, fruit juice and sesame.Garlic-and-shallotormiso-based dips are sometimes used.
After officially being prohibited for many years, beef consumption was legalised in 1871 following theMeiji Restorationas part of an effort to introduce western culture to the country.TheEmperor Meijibecame part of a campaign to promote beef consumption, publicly eating beef on January 24, 1873.Steakandroasted meatwere translated asyakiniku(焼肉) andiriniku(焙肉), respectively, as proposed western-style menus inSeiyō Ryōri Shinanalthough this usage of the former word was eventually replaced by the loanwordsutēki.
Jingisukan, the Japanese transliteration ofGenghis Khan, is a style of grilling mutton, which is also referred to as a type of yakiniku. The dish was conceived inHokkaidō, where it has been a popular blue-collar dish that has only recently gained nationwide popularity. The name Jingisukan is thought to have been invented by Sapporo-born Tokuzo Komai, who was inspired by the grilled mutton dishes ofNortheastern Chinese cuisine. The first written mention of the dish under this name was in 1931.
Common Japanese style ofyakiniku, drawing heavy influences from Korean dishes such asbulgogiandgalbi, became widespread in Japan during the 20th century, most notably after theSecond World War. Restaurants serving this dish either advertised themselves ashorumonyaki(ホルモン焼き, offal-grill) or simplyJoseon(Korean) cuisine(朝鮮料理,Chōsen ryōri).The division of theKorean peninsulaled to disagreements in the mid-1960s in the naming of "Korean food", with pro-South businesses changing their signs to "Kankoku ryōri(韓国料理)" ('Kankoku' being the Japanization of 'Hanguk' (한국), the name for Korea used inSouth Korea) to replace the term "Chōsen"(朝鮮)(fromJoseon, 조선), an older name for Korea which by then had been appropriated by the North.
According to "Nippon Yakiniku Monogatari written by Toshio Miyatsuka" , the name "yakiniku" became widespread in the latter half of the 1960s, and before that, "yakiniku" was called "Korean cuisine (朝鮮料理, Chōsen ryōri)". TheKorean Peninsulawas divided into north and south, and in Japan around this time, the restaurants that served yakiniku andnaengmyeoncalled themselves "Chōsen ryōri (朝鮮料理,Joseoncuisine)", but withtreaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Koreain 1965, the name "Kankoku ryōri (韓国料理, Korean cuisine)" has increased. Eventually, North Koreans in Japan claimed "Chōsen ryōri" and South Koreans in Japan claimed "Kankoku ryōri", which means "Korean cuisine", which means yakiniku today. It is said that the word "yakiniku" was used as a compromise of political conflict to put an end to this turmoil.
Ventilated barbecue systems, introduced by Shinpo Co., Ltd. in March 1980,quickly spread throughout Japan as they enabled diners to eat yakiniku in a smoke-free environment and greatly extended the clientele.
The popularity of yakiniku was given a further boost in 1991 when the easing of beef import restrictions led to a drop in the price of beef.However, the industry was dealt an unprecedented blow in 2001 with the occurrence ofBSE(mad cow disease) in Japan.
Typical ingredients include:
In 1993, the All Japan Yakiniku Association proclaimed 29 August as official "Yakiniku Day" (焼き肉の日,yakiniku no hi),a form ofgoroawase(numerical wordplay), as the date 8月29 can be (roughly) read as ya-(tsu)ki-ni-ku (8 = ya, 2 = ni, 9 = ku).