Join the birthday tradition where you get one karaage older every year.

Celebrating your birthday in Japan is a time to revel in freebies, with many establishments having some form of birthday offer for you to take advantage of—be it a free ice cream from Baskin Robbins or an indulgent dessert at Denny’s.

Takuya Inaba, one of our Japanese-language reporters, loves flicking through the multitude of birthday deals he receives each year. This year, when his 32nd birthday rolled around, there was one perk in particular that stopped him short: a towering feast of deep-fried chicken, completely free and sized equal to his age (capped at 30 pieces).

▼ There’s got to be something said for seeing your age in karaage form before you. Probably along the lines of “is this heaven?”

The restaurant providing such a jaw-dropping offer is Yakitori no Kai, located in Isehara and Odawara in Kanagawa.

Known by locals to be a hotspot of high quality food and reasonable prices, Yakitori no Kai draws crowds of foodies and families alike on the weekends. As the name “yakitori” suggests, the restaurant excels in delivering delicious grilled chicken skewers to diners, with family-sized servings priced at just 968 yen (US$6.43).

Tori Gomoku Kamameshi (mixed rice with chicken in an iron pot) is another of their famous dishes, with a low price of only 528 yen.

Its karaage, with a golden, crispy coating and succulent, juicy chicken inside, is a must-try, even without a birthday deal. This karaage is clear evidence that Yakitori no Kai are true masters of chicken cuisine.

Knowing full well that he would never be able to tackle the mountain by himself, Takuya had invited four of his friends to join him on his crusade.

Getting through that amount of chicken was sure to be thirsty work, so they set about preparing their drinks.

▼ Some went for the refillable soft drinks

▼ Others opted for something from the restaurant’s wide selection of alcohol

The five friends, fully prepared, sat down and began to gorge.

Even with five pairs of chopsticks, they struggled to topple the tower of karaage. Eventually, though, they conquered the chicken feast.

Stuffed to the brim, Takuya couldn’t believe all of that heavenly chicken was free—it felt like a feast from a dream. Looking at the menu, a normal six-piece karaage set costs 548 yen, while a 12-piece is priced at 869 yen. With his offer maxing out at 30 pieces, he enjoyed over 2,000 yen worth of food for free. Realizing the sheer value of the experience only made it all the more mind-blowing.

That’s not even the end of it. If karaage isn’t your thing, you can also redeem your birthday perk for fried chicken wings, available in sweet, spicy, garlic, or an assortment of the three.

Whether you prefer crispy karaage or flavorful wings, the process to claim your celebratory dinner is simple:

  1. Visit Yakitori no Kai and enjoy a meal.
  2. When paying, fill out a form with your address and birthday, available near the register.
  3. Shortly before your birthday, you’ll receive a letter in the mail. Call the restaurant to reserve your feast.

With just three easy steps, you’ll be set for your own karaage birthday blowout.

Even if it’s not your special day, the food at Yakitori no Kai is genuinely delicious, making it well worth a visit at any time of the year. If you’re ever in Kanagawa, be sure to give it a try.

Restaurant information
Yakitori no Kai / やきとりの快
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Isehara-shi, Higashi Odake 929-1
神奈川県伊勢原市東大竹929-1
Open Weekdays 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. (last order 9:30 p.m.)
Weekends and holidays Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Dinner 4:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. (last order 9:30 p.m.)
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]