Yakitori Style Tori Wasa Chicken Wasabi Izakaya
Kagoshima and Miyazaki Prefectures — regional tradition of certified raw chicken consumption
Tori-wasa (鳥わさ, chicken wasabi) is one of Japan's most unusual izakaya preparations — very thinly sliced raw chicken breast or thigh served with wasabi and soy sauce, akin to sashimi. The practice is only safe with specific premium chicken varieties where bacterial contamination risk is minimized through strict hygiene, specific age of bird, and controlled handling. Kagoshima's 'jidori' (free-range) breeds and specific certified raw chicken producers make this possible. The flavor of raw chicken with its natural sweetness, paired with wasabi's heat and soy's umami, is considered extraordinary by those who've experienced authentic tori-wasa.