Tan
Beef tongue
Tongue
- Texture
- Firm and springy; thickness changes the bite.
- Flavor
- Savory, with a gentle fatty sweetness.
Finding your Osaka…
A little confidence at the grill.
Say the menu name, recognize the cut, and find the texture you enjoy. Romanized Japanese names and English explanations for yakiniku and yakitori.
Illustrations show approximate regions. Restaurant names, trimming, thickness and cooking change the experience; flavor descriptions are general pointers.
52 cuts, shown as grilled servings. Images are AI-generated serving illustrations; actual cuts and plating vary by restaurant.
Choose your beef cut.
Karubi and rosu are menu categories. Their exact cuts vary by restaurant. Harami looks like regular red meat but is diaphragm muscle, often listed with horumon (offal). Check the description rather than assuming every name matches a single Western cut.
Karubi
Short rib / belly cuts
A menu category commonly associated with rib and belly meat.
- Texture
- Often juicy and fatty; tenderness varies by cut.
- Flavor
- Rich, with pronounced fat sweetness.
Rosu
Loin / chuck cuts
A broad restaurant name, rather than one universal anatomical cut.
- Texture
- Often tender; marbling and the actual cut vary.
- Flavor
- Beefy, ranging from lean to richly marbled.
Hire
Tenderloin
An internal muscle beneath the rear part of the spine.
- Texture
- Very tender and fine-grained.
- Flavor
- Mild, with relatively little fat.
Ranpu
Rump
Upper rear / rump region.
- Texture
- Fine-grained, with a firmer bite than tenderloin.
- Flavor
- Lean, savory beef flavor.
Momo
Round
Upper hind leg; includes several different muscles.
- Texture
- Generally firmer and leaner.
- Flavor
- A clear, meaty flavor with less fat.
Kata-rosu
Chuck roll
Shoulder end of the back; a more specific rosu cut.
- Texture
- Moderately firm to tender.
- Flavor
- Full beef flavor, often marbled.
Ribu-rosu
Ribeye / rib loin
Back around the ribs.
- Texture
- Tender, often marbled.
- Flavor
- Rich and fatty.
Saroin
Sirloin
Rear loin along the back.
- Texture
- Tender with a meaty bite.
- Flavor
- Savory, with a fatty edge.
Ichibo
Rump cap
Outer rump; international cut names vary.
- Texture
- Tender with some firmness.
- Flavor
- Lean flavor balanced with fat.
Zabuton
Chuck flap
Marbled part of shoulder loin.
- Texture
- Tender and richly marbled.
- Flavor
- Pronounced fatty sweetness.
Misuji
Top blade
Shoulder blade area.
- Texture
- Fine-grained; a central seam affects the bite.
- Flavor
- Rich with delicate marbling.
Kainomi
Rear belly / flap cut
Rear belly near the tenderloin.
- Texture
- Tender, visibly grained.
- Flavor
- Beefy with moderate fat.
Tomosankaku
Marbled round / knuckle cut
Part of the shintama (knuckle) in the upper hind leg; also called hiuchi. English cutting terms vary.
- Texture
- Tender for a round cut.
- Flavor
- Richly marbled leg meat.
Sankaku-bara
Chuck short rib
Rib meat near the front chest.
- Texture
- Juicy and often well marbled.
- Flavor
- Rich and fatty.
Geta-karubi
Rib finger
Between the ribs; also called naka-ochi.
- Texture
- Fibrous, with a firmer bite.
- Flavor
- Rich beef flavor and fat.
Tsurami
Cheek
Cheek muscle.
- Texture
- Firm and chewy; often sliced thin.
- Flavor
- Concentrated and savory.
Shatoburian
Chateaubriand
Thick central portion of tenderloin.
- Texture
- Very tender and fine-grained.
- Flavor
- Delicate and relatively lean.
Where are these beef cuts? Open the diagram
Horumon & diaphragm cuts
Harami
Diaphragm / skirt steak
Diaphragm muscle; usually grouped with offal on Japanese menus.
- Texture
- Fibrous but often juicy and tender.
- Flavor
- Deep, savory beef flavor.
Reba
Liver
Liver; English menus may use the ingredient name rather than reba.
- Texture
- Soft when properly cooked; firmer if cooked longer.
- Flavor
- Rich, with a distinctive mineral flavor.
Hatsu
Heart
Heart muscle.
- Texture
- Firm and pleasantly springy.
- Flavor
- Relatively lean, mild and savory.
Mino
First stomach / tripe
The first of the cow’s four stomach compartments.
- Texture
- Firm and crunchy, with a chewy bite.
- Flavor
- Mild; seasoning often shapes the flavor.
Shima-cho
Large intestine
Large intestine; one of the cuts sold as horumon.
- Texture
- Chewy, with a soft fatty side.
- Flavor
- Rich and fatty; preparation makes a difference.
Sagari
Hanging tender
Another diaphragm portion, distinct from harami.
- Texture
- Tender, visibly grained.
- Flavor
- Savory, often leaner than harami.
Hachinosu
Honeycomb tripe
Second stomach compartment.
- Texture
- Soft-chewy after preparation.
- Flavor
- Mild; sauce shapes the taste.
Senmai
Book tripe / omasum
Third stomach compartment.
- Texture
- Firm with thin folded layers.
- Flavor
- Mild and relatively lean.
Giara / Akasen
Fourth stomach
Fourth stomach compartment; also called akasenmai.
- Texture
- Chewy with a fatty bite.
- Flavor
- Rich and savory.
Maru-cho / Sho-cho
Small intestine
Small intestine; maru-cho often means unsplit preparation.
- Texture
- Soft fat and a chewy wall.
- Flavor
- Very rich and fatty.
Mino-sando
Fatty first-stomach cut
A fatty portion of the first stomach.
- Texture
- Crunchy-chewy with a fatty layer.
- Flavor
- Richer than lean mino.
More than chicken thigh.
Momo
Chicken thigh
Upper leg.
- Texture
- Juicy and gently firm.
- Flavor
- Rich, savory chicken flavor.
Mune
Breast
Breast muscle.
- Texture
- Lean and firmer than thigh.
- Flavor
- Mild and light.
Sasami
Tenderloin
Small inner breast muscle.
- Texture
- Fine-grained and tender when carefully cooked.
- Flavor
- Delicate and lean.
Seseri
Neck meat
Muscles around the neck.
- Texture
- Springy, with a juicy bite.
- Flavor
- Savory and relatively rich.
Tebasaki
Wing tip / outer wing
Outer wing segment; some menus use tebasaki for a larger wing portion.
- Texture
- Skin can be crisp; meat is juicy.
- Flavor
- Rich, especially around the skin.
Bonjiri
Tail meat
Meat around the base of the tail; also called sankaku.
- Texture
- Soft, juicy and noticeably fatty.
- Flavor
- Rich, with fatty sweetness.
Kawa
Skin
Skin from various parts; not one isolated muscle.
- Texture
- Crisp or chewy, depending on grilling.
- Flavor
- Rich and fatty, often with charred notes.
Yagen nankotsu
Breast cartilage
Cartilage near the tip of the breastbone.
- Texture
- Crunchy and firm.
- Flavor
- Mild; the appeal is largely its texture.
Tebamoto
Wing drumette
Upper wing near the shoulder.
- Texture
- Juicy meat around a bone.
- Flavor
- Savory and rich.
Tebanaka
Mid-wing
Middle wing segment.
- Texture
- Juicy with skin that can crisp.
- Flavor
- Rich around the skin.
Furisode
Shoulder meat
Between breast and wing; trimming varies.
- Texture
- Tender and juicy.
- Flavor
- Rich for a breast-adjacent cut.
Sori / Soriresu
Chicken oyster
Small muscles near the thigh attachment on the back.
- Texture
- Plump, springy and juicy.
- Flavor
- Full chicken flavor.
Hiza nankotsu
Knee cartilage
Cartilage near the knee joint.
- Texture
- Firm and crunchy.
- Flavor
- Mild; mainly enjoyed for texture.
Where are these chicken cuts? Open the diagram
Offal, rare selections & yolk skewers
Chicken harami is abdominal-wall meat, unlike beef diaphragm. Shiro-gimo is a liver selection; chochin is a combination skewer. Rare names and availability vary by shop.
Sunagimo / Sunazuri
Gizzard
Muscular part of the digestive tract. Sunazuri is a common Kansai menu name.
- Texture
- Firm and crunchy.
- Flavor
- Mild and relatively lean.
Hatsu
Heart
Heart; some menus use the English word heart.
- Texture
- Springy and firm.
- Flavor
- Savory, with a relatively mild organ flavor.
Reba / Kimo
Liver
Liver; kimo is another menu name.
- Texture
- Soft and creamy when properly cooked.
- Flavor
- Rich and distinctive.
Harami
Abdominal-wall meat
Thin abdominal muscle; different from beef harami, which is diaphragm.
- Texture
- Springy with a chewy bite.
- Flavor
- Savory and meaty.
Hatsumoto / Tsunagi
Heart-base cut
Tissue and vessels near the heart; shops also say kokoro-nokori.
- Texture
- Springy with a fatty edge.
- Flavor
- Savory and richer than lean heart.
Saezuri
Neck offal
Usually esophagus and/or trachea; ask which the shop serves.
- Texture
- Chewy or crunchy depending on tissue.
- Flavor
- Mild and savory.
Segimo
Kidney
Kidney tissue along the back.
- Texture
- Soft with a delicate bite.
- Flavor
- Distinctive, rich organ flavor.
Kinkan
Unlaid egg yolks
Developing yolks from a hen, before shell formation.
- Texture
- Soft or firm depending on cooking.
- Flavor
- Rich egg-yolk flavor.
Chochin
Yolk & oviduct skewer
Preparation combining unlaid yolks with reproductive tissue; not a single muscle.
- Texture
- Rich yolk with chewy tissue.
- Flavor
- Rich and eggy.
Shiro-gimo
Fatty liver
A fattier liver selection, rather than a separate organ.
- Texture
- Creamier than ordinary liver.
- Flavor
- Rich and distinctive; availability varies.
What arrives at the table?
Read about yakiniku & yakitori
Yakiniku: build your own tasting
At many yakiniku restaurants, small plates of sliced meat arrive for you to cook on a tabletop grill. Other restaurants cook for you, so check the setup when you sit down. A meal can move between lean cuts, marbled beef, tongue, vegetables and horumon, rather than centering on one large steak.
Order a few plates first and compare the cut, thickness and seasoning. A highly marbled slice feels quite different from lean rump, even when both are described as tender. Rice, soup and vegetables can turn a succession of small plates into a complete meal. Portions, minimum orders and set contents vary by restaurant.
Yakitori: a sequence of small skewers
Yakitori puts different chicken cuts on skewers, usually grilled by the kitchen and served ready to eat. The interest lies in the changes of texture: juicy thigh, springy neck, crisp skin and crunchy cartilage. A specialist shop may offer cuts that rarely appear in a supermarket.
You may choose each skewer, order a mixed plate, or follow a chef’s course. Salt seasoning and sweet-savory sauce create different experiences of the same meat. Some shops also grill vegetables or other meats; read the individual item rather than assuming everything on a skewer is chicken.
How to enjoy your meal.
Open eating and grilling tips
Start with contrasting textures
For a first yakiniku order, try one lean cut, one richer cut and something with a firmer bite, such as tongue. At a yakitori shop, thigh, neck and skin make an approachable comparison. Add one unfamiliar item at a time, so you can connect its name with the texture you just tried.
These are tasting ideas, not a required order. If an ingredient or texture does not appeal to you, use the cut descriptions to choose an alternative.
Cook a little at a time
At a self-grill yakiniku table, leave space between pieces and ask the staff about thick cuts or unfamiliar offal. Separate the utensils used for raw meat from those used for eating. Fatty pieces can cause flare-ups; ask for help with the grill rather than leaving a crowded batch unattended.
A thin slice and a thick piece need different treatment. There is no single grilling time that suits every cut, grill and thickness. Follow the restaurant’s guidance.
Season first, then taste
With yakitori, ask whether the shop recommends shio (salt) or tare (sauce). Try a bite before adding table condiments. At yakiniku, meat may arrive already seasoned; dipping sauce is another choice, not something that every slice needs in the same amount.
Some menus offer lemon, wasabi, chili or other condiments. Ask what goes with your order, especially if you want a milder flavor or need ingredient information.
Skewers, sharing & courses
Yakitori can be eaten directly from the skewer. If you prefer to remove the pieces, use your chopsticks and plate carefully. For sharing, ask how many skewers come in an order; ordering one for each person often makes the tasting simpler.
For a course, tell the staff about ingredients you cannot eat before it begins. “Mixed skewers” may include liver, cartilage or other offal. A dish name alone does not describe every ingredient or sauce.
Names with a story.
Read three Osaka menu stories
Tsuruhashi and the smell of the grill
Osaka’s tourism guide highlights the streets around Tsuruhashi Station as a gathering place for yakiniku restaurants. Exploring the neighbourhood gives the meal a setting: station streets, markets and restaurants close together, rather than a single destination restaurant.
You do not need to make every meal a famous-area visit. Use the Food restaurant searches to compare options near your own hotel or route, and treat Tsuruhashi as another part of Osaka to discover.
Osaka tourism: yakiniku & horumon ↗Sunazuri: a Kansai name to recognize
A gizzard skewer may appear as sunagimo or sunazuri. Sunazuri is a familiar Kansai menu name. Learning both helps you recognize the same firm, crunchy ingredient when two shops use different wording.
The aliases in this guide serve the same purpose. They help you ask a useful question, but they cannot guarantee identical trimming, portion size or seasoning across restaurants.
A cushion, a lantern, a chicken oyster
Zabuton is also the word for a floor cushion; on a beef menu it names a prized shoulder cut. Chochin means lantern and is used for a chicken skewer combining developing yolks and reproductive tissue. Sori / soriresu is the small cut often called a chicken oyster in English.
These vivid names can make a menu memorable, but an English translation alone may not tell you what you will receive. Match the name to the ingredient and texture description, then confirm with the shop.
A few words make ordering easier.
Useful ordering words & preparations
Shio or tare?
Shio means salt seasoning. Tare is a sauce, often sweet and savory. Ask what the shop recommends for the cut.
Negima & tsukune
Negima is chicken alternating with leek or scallion on a skewer. Tsukune is a seasoned minced-chicken skewer. These describe preparations, not anatomical cuts.
How many skewers?
Check whether the menu price is for one skewer or a set. Start with a few different cuts, then order more of your favorites.
Let the staff guide you
For yakiniku, ask how to cook unfamiliar cuts on the grill. Chicken and offal should be properly cooked; do not use appearance alone to judge doneness.
Sources & further reading
- JNTO: yakitori ordering and seasonings
- Osaka tourism: yakiniku and horumon
- MAFF: beef, pork and chicken cuts (Japanese)
- MAFF: beef cut characteristics (Japanese)
- Japan Yakitori Association: chicken anatomy and menu names (Japanese)
- MAFF: offal names and characteristics (Japanese)
- Nakano Shokkei: segimo / kidney (Japanese)
- Torikizoku: yakitori names and descriptions (Japanese)