Birdland

You won’t usually find Michelin stars pinned to the lapels of a yakitori restaurant, but this is Ginza — an area with perhaps the most densely-packed concentration of fine dining establishments in the world. Birdland is one such place, connected directly to the metro station, and their yakitori grilled chicken skewers are among the best in Tokyo. They use premium Kuji Shamo chicken from the Okukuji region in the northwest part of Ibaraki, which is the chef’s home prefecture. Two course meals are on offer with a range of skewers and other dishes such as liver pâté, and breast cooked in basil sauce. They also serve a variety of inventive sauces to accompany these umami-rich dishes. The square counter which encloses the cooking area is large, but so is the reputation of the shop. This means it can get busy with hungry locals at lunch and dinner time.