Kabeya

A red lantern with the kanji for Kabeya glows outside this narrow storefront. It is a dedicated yakitori stall that operates out of a cramped, low-ceilinged space tucked into the Tenjin district. Most people eat standing up, elbow to elbow, while the grill smoke fills the room. In nineteen eighty-four, the owner began serving skewers here, and he still works the charcoal fire today. He keeps the same menu of chicken parts and vegetables that he started with four decades ago.