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Kushikatsu: The Best Deep-Fried Skewers in Tokyo
A lot of Japanese food is very healthy. And then there’s kushikatsu. Learn where to enjoy this fried treat on a stick on your next visit.
Japanese cuisine has a reputation for being healthy. While much of it is, this is also a country that loves itself some fried foods. While most people know about kara-age (fried chicken), fewer know about its delicious cousin: kushikatsu (串カツ) or deep-fried skewers. Learn more about where this treat came from and the most popular places to eat it in Tokyo — both affordable and, well…not so affordable.
The history of kushikatsu
Kushikatsu is a variation on kushiyaki, or skewered food. Most popular in Japan as yakitori (焼き鳥), or roasted chicken on skewers, mentions of kushiyaki date back to at least the 17th century. Yakitori is mentioned as a delicacy that dates back to Japan’s Heian era.
Kushikatsu is basically a battered and deep-friend kushiyaki. However, no one quite knows where it comes from or exactly how long it’s been part of Japanese cuisine. Some reports say it may date back to the Meiji era in Japan’s 19th century. That would mean it predates modern…
