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Karaage kings: judges hunt for Japan's best fried chicken
A team of judges has searched relentlessly to find the ultimate "karaage" -- the fried chicken known as "Japan's comfort food".
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This picture taken on March 14, 2023 shows Takehiro Matsumoto posing with a plate of cooked karaage at an izakaya bar in the Kamata district of Tokyo. (AFP/Philip Fong)
M
unching their way through hundreds of golden-brown morsels, a team of judges has searched relentlessly to find the ultimate "karaage" -- the fried chicken known as "Japan's comfort food".
While a global buzz has grown around Korean fried chicken in recent years, in Japan, karaage reigns supreme.
Pronounced "kara-agay", its name refers to a technique where pieces of chicken, other meat or vegetables are marinated and coated in flour and starch before being fried.
The dish is a national obsession: winners of the Karaage Grand Prix, an annual competition to find Japan's choicest chunks, can see their sales as much as triple if their chicken wins an award.
This year, judges were appointed to replace a public vote after allegations of fowl play by some of the competing pubs, restaurants and chicken shops.
The judges met for several tasting sessions around the country -- each putting away around a kilogram of chicken a day.
Lead judge Koichiro Yagi, who also serves as managing director of the Japan Karaage Association, told AFP he was looking for fried chicken that "tells a story".
