What is
Local Yakiniku?
Local yakiniku is a style of grilled meat that has developed uniquely in each region, shaped by its own industries, history, and culture. It cannot be lumped together under a single definition. Please enjoy these distinctive regional styles of yakiniku while experiencing the local customs.
Japan Nationwide Yakiniku Network Council
Kitami City, Hokkaido
Kitami Yakiniku
Grilled offal captivates the locals:
“Sagari Purism”
with fresh dipping sauce
In Kitami City, Hokkaido, known as the sacred land of yakiniku in the north, the presence of meat-processing plants within the city led to the spread of offal yakiniku among its citizens. Even after beef became more widely consumed, the culture of offal remained strong, and Kitami developed into a “nation of Sagari,” where people preferred sagari (hanging tender, a cut of beef offal) over short ribs.
Iida City, Nagano Prefecture
Iida Yakiniku
A pioneering meat-eating region
from offal to Wagyu—
truly a “Yakiniku Department Store”
In Iida City, Nagano Prefecture—the sacred land of yakiniku in Shinshu—people have been eating beef since the Meiji era. They honor their livestock used in farming and the textile industry by consuming every part without waste, while also producing high-quality wagyu. It’s truly a “yakiniku department store” of beef, pork, and lamb.
Not only charcoal grilling but also the iron plates popularized through delivery-style yakiniku and the variety of aged dipping sauces are well worth noting.
Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture
Ishigaki Yakiniku
Island-born grilled meat
featuring local brand pork and beef,
paired with tropical seasonings
In Ishigaki City, the local yakiniku culture has its roots in the island’s traditional cuisine, where pork has long been the star and every part is eaten without waste. The region is also known as the birthplace of premium brands such as Ishigaki beef, blending these meats with distinctive tropical seasonings like natural sea salt and island pepper. It’s a yakiniku culture infused with the island’s history and natural spirit.
Experience
local yakiniku.
Experience local yakiniku.
Experience No. 1
The Extreme Cold
Yakiniku Experience
This experience menu is designed to let anyone enjoy the spirit of Kitami’s famous winter yakiniku event—held every February when the city is wrapped in extreme cold—anytime they wish. It faithfully recreates the chill, flavor, and exhilarating toughness of the original Kitami Extreme Cold Yakiniku Festival. It’s an experience that lets yakiniku lovers across Japan—and even yourself, braving the icy air with tongs in hand—proudly declare: “I truly love yakiniku.”
The 2025 event has successfully concluded.
Experience No. 2
The Three Great
Yakiniku Cities Stamp Rally
The Three Great
Yakiniku Cities
Stamp Rally
The “Three Great Yakiniku Cities” Stamp Rally is here!
Known for their unique yakiniku cultures, Kitami City in Hokkaido, Iida City in Nagano, and now, joining in full from this year, Ishigaki City in Okinawa, come together for this grand event. Travel across these three sacred lands of yakiniku and savor the local styles and flavors that define each region. Experience a new kind of journey—one with yakiniku at its heart—aptly named “The Yakiniku Journey.”
