Honetsukidori: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Kagawa)

Honetsukidori is a Kagawa soul food of a whole chicken leg, bone in, seasoned with spices and grilled until golden. The specialist shop Ikkaku in Marugame is credited as its birthplace, and today it is loved at izakaya across the prefecture. The scent of garlic and pepper is irresistible.

Highlights

Two styles are standard: the firm and flavorful oya (mature hen) and the tender, juicy hina (young bird). The skin turns crisp while the meat releases more umami with every bite. Locals soak up the dripping juices with cabbage or rice balls.

Enjoying the Seasons

It is good all year, yet it pairs with cold beer in summer and comforts you piping hot in winter, each season bringing its own satisfaction. Festival stalls sell it too.

Access and Basic Information

The original Ikkaku Marugame main shop is at 317 Hamamachi, Marugame, about a one minute walk from JR Marugame Station. It is closed on Tuesdays (it may open when Tuesday is a public holiday), and on many days lunch and dinner hours are split, so checking the official site before you go is wise. Branches in Takamatsu make it easy to drop by while sightseeing.

Practical Travel Notes

• Dinner time tends to bring lines and full seats, so you may have to wait at certain hours. Arriving right at opening or early is a good strategy.
• A rough price per piece is in the range of a few hundred to around a thousand yen, so ordering one oya and one hina is easy on the wallet.
• Grilling takes time, so allow for a wait between ordering and serving to relax and enjoy it.
• A Takamatsu branch is handy to visit before or after moving by ferry or JR.

A Quick Tip

Your hands will get messy, so keep a wet towel ready. To compare, order one oya and one hina. The garlic is strong, so if you have plans the next day, keeping the portion modest is wise.

Souvenir and Takeaway Tips

Honetsuki-dori is a local specialty that originated in Marugame, made by rubbing garlicky spices into a bone-in chicken thigh and grilling it boldly. There is the chewy "oya" (adult bird) and the tender "waka" (young bird), and the dripping juices are the appeal. Frozen and vacuum-packed honetsuki-dori and spice sets are available at souvenir shops and by mail order, and items that keep well can be enjoyed at home too. Fresh items require refrigeration or freezing, so plan ahead for keeping them cold. Enjoying it hot off the grill with beer at a specialty restaurant in Marugame or Takamatsu is truly exceptional.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening hours of the shop where it began: Honetsuki-dori Ikkaku Marugame Main Store (317 Hamamachi, Marugame City) opens in two sessions on weekdays, 11:00-14:00 (last orders 13:45) and 17:00-22:00, and straight through 11:00-22:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. It is closed every Tuesday.
• Access and parking: The Marugame main store is a 1-minute walk from the north exit of JR Marugame Station, and 20 minutes by car from the Sakaide Interchange on the Takamatsu Expressway. It has no car park of its own, so use a nearby paid car park (122 seats in total).
• If you want to eat it in Takamatsu: Ikkaku Takamatsu Store (4-11 Kajiyamachi, Takamatsu City) opens 17:00-23:00 on weekdays and 11:00-23:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, so there is no lunchtime service on weekdays. Closed on Tuesdays, 96 seats, no parking. It is about 40 minutes by car from Takamatsu Airport.
• Points to note: If you want to eat it at lunchtime, the safe choice is the Marugame main store, or the Takamatsu store on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.

* Opening hours and prices vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: the Marugame Main Store Basic Information and Takamatsu Store Basic Information pages of the official Ikkaku Co., Ltd. website)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from Kagawa Prefecture's tourism guidance and information published by each restaurant. Prices, menus and seasons can change, so please check the official information of each restaurant for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Approximate budget: Around 1,000 yen per leg
• Where to eat it: Specialist restaurants in Kagawa Prefecture, in places such as Marugame and Takamatsu
• Best time of day: Mainly the evening. It is popular as an izakaya dish
• Beating the crowds: Popular restaurants get busy in the evening. Go early or make a reservation
• Enjoy it together with: Rice balls soaked in the leftover juices, Marugame Castle, Sanuki udon