Charcoal Grilled Jidori Chicken: Local Food Guide

At a glance it looks jet black. Yet the moment it touches your lips, a rich savoriness and toasty aroma spread with every chew. Bite sized pieces of local chicken are seasoned with salt and pepper, then seared in one burst over roaring charcoal. Chosen for the Ministry of Agriculture list of one hundred local dishes, it is a plate that represents the prefecture.

Highlights

Miyazaki representative chicken is the jitokko, the Miyazaki jito breed. The jito fowl was originally a native breed long raised in the foothills of the Kirishima mountains in Miyazaki and Kagoshima, and it is said to be named for the fine meat once presented to the domain jito, or local steward. Because its numbers were small and it was designated a natural monument in 1943, a separate breed was improved for the table. Development began in 1985 at the Miyazaki prefectural livestock station, and by crossing it with breeds such as the Kyushu Road it was formally named the Miyazaki jito in 2004. Grilling it over strong charcoal, almost as if smoked, brings out a distinctive smoky aroma and a texture that is tender yet has a firm, satisfying bite. The blackened char is the very mark of that toasty flavor, and it is classically served with yuzu pepper.

Enjoying the Seasons

Charcoal grilled chicken is a year round specialty, but paired with a chilled local beer or Miyazaki shochu it goes down easily in any season. Enjoy it at an outdoor beer garden in summer and slowly in a warm tavern in winter. When seasonal yuzu is in circulation, the fragrance of yuzu pepper stands out all the more. Beyond thigh meat, the differing textures of gizzard and mature hen are part of the fun.

Access and Basic Information

Downtown Miyazaki City gathers many taverns and specialty shops that put charcoal grilling on their signboards. Many serve it as an affordable single plate, perfect as an accompaniment to shochu. Shops at Miyazaki Airport sell vacuum packed versions for souvenirs, and reheating them at home recreates the authentic taste.

A Quick Tip

If it is your first time, take a bite with nothing added at all. You will be surprised that the salt and the aroma of charcoal alone are more than delicious. If you want more, add a little yuzu pepper. It is an all purpose plate that pairs with both white rice and shochu.

Practical Travel Notes

• The star is the Miyazaki jito, or jitokko. Improved from a native breed once designated a natural monument, it was formally named in 2004.
• Serving shops are mainly taverns and specialty shops in downtown Miyazaki City. You can order it affordably as a single dish.
• The classic condiment is yuzu pepper. First taste the charcoal aroma with nothing added, then add a little for a change of flavor.
• Texture varies by cut. Beyond thigh meat, the bite of gizzard and mature hen is worth a try.
• Souvenir vacuum packs are available at places like Miyazaki Airport. Reheating recreates the authentic taste at home.