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1
Build the tare. Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce by approximately one-quarter. The tare is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and carries a lacquered sheen.
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2
Ignite the binchotan. Stack the charcoal in a chimney starter or over a gas ring and burn until every piece is covered in gray-white ash with no visible black and no active flame. Transfer to the grill bed. Initial smoke from improperly ignited binchotan is undesirable and will taint the meat; the charcoal must be fully ashed before any food is placed above it.
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3
Skewer the parts. Thread thigh cubes alternating with negi lengths for negima skewers. Thread skin strips in tight folds so they do not unravel. Thread liver and heart pieces snugly so they do not spin. Keep organ skewers separate from skin and thigh — they will cook at different heights and times.
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4
Grill the kawa (skin) skewers. Hold them low over the coals, close enough for fat to render and spit. Raise the skewers when flare-ups threaten and return them steadily. Cook, turning frequently, until the skin is blistered, crackled, and deeply golden with no translucent or soft patches remaining — extended lower-heat rendering is required to achieve crispness without burning.
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5
Grill the thigh and negima skewers. Hold at medium height over the coals. Turn every 60–90 seconds. After the first two turns, briefly submerge each skewer in the tare, return to the grill, and repeat this dipping sequence 2–3 times in the final stages of cooking only — applying tare too early will cause the sugars to char before the meat is cooked through. The skewers are done when the surface is lacquered, caramelized, and the meat yields slightly but not loosely to a finger press.
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6
Grill the organ skewers (rebā and hatsu). This is where the dish lives or dies: hold the liver and heart skewers at a greater height above the coals than the thigh, rotating quickly. The hatsu is done when firm but resilient to the touch. The rebā is done when the exterior is set and lightly coloured but the interior, when the thickest piece is pressed, still gives softly — it must remain pink-centered. A grey center means the liver is overcooked and its texture is lost; no raw taste should be present.
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7
Rest and serve. Remove all skewers from the heat and allow them to rest briefly on a rack or board — the meat relaxes and redistributes its juices. Dust shio-seasoned skewers (liver, any breast) lightly with fine salt at this point. Arrange the skewers and serve immediately while the binchotan smoke lingers on the surface.