I've had the konro for a while now so I figured I'd fire it up and test it out. This particular stove is only small, and would be suitable for use with a small gathering of people. The traditional fuel of choice in yakitori restaurants throughout Japan is binchotan (white charcoal), which is produced from a species of oak grown in the Wakayama Prefecture.
The binchotan must first be heated in a charcoal starter until it is completely white, before being transferred to the konro. Then simply place the cooking plate over the top and you are ready to grill.
The binchotan is long burning and burns smokeless, so it will not impart any unpleasant flavours to your food. In fact when you are done cooking, the remaining binchotan can be quenched in water and dried out for later use. If you love yakitori and want to cook it at home in the traditional way, I highly recommend a binchotan fired konro. This small model is perfectly suited for outdoor entertaining, and would make an impressive centre piece for your outdoor table setting.
-harajuku32
