Discover the many uniquely Japanese ways to enjoy chicken 4 ＜Oita＞

A Delicious Journey Through Oita’s Unique Chicken Dishes

Japan offers an incredible variety of chicken dishes, and thanks to strong regional traditions, they never get boring.

Introduction

Oita Prefecture ranks among the highest in Japan for annual household chicken consumption. Here, chicken has long been a staple food, deeply rooted in local culture. Usa City is known as the birthplace of karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), while Nakatsu City is celebrated as the “Holy Land of Karaage.” From karaage and toriten to chicken rice and chicken soup, locals enjoy chicken in countless ways, making Oita a true chicken paradise.

Nakatsu Karaage (Nakatsu City)

Nakatsu City is home to more than 60 karaage specialty shops, earning it the nickname “Holy Land of Karaage.”
Most recipes use chicken marinated in a garlic-soy sauce base with ginger and spices before being deep-fried to perfection. The city is so devoted to its karaage that even a major global fried chicken chain once opened a branch here, only to withdraw due to overwhelming competition. To this day, neither Nakatsu nor Usa has a branch of that global chain—proof of the unrivaled popularity of local karaage.

Usa Karaage (Usa City)

Usa is known as the birthplace of karaage specialty shops, even inspiring the local film Karaage☆USA.

Its story begins shortly after World War II, at a Chinese restaurant called Rairaiken in Yokkaichi. The owner, wanting people to enjoy hearty meals at an affordable price, bought chickens cheaply from a poultry farm and sold them as karaage. The dish quickly became popular, and a local izakaya called Shosuke learned the frying method, later transforming itself into one of the first karaage specialty shops. From there, the culture spread throughout Usa and into neighboring Nakatsu. Today, Usa proudly promotes itself as the birthplace of karaage specialty shops, while Nakatsu is celebrated as the Holy Land of Karaage.

Toriten (Beppu City, throughout Oita)

Toriten, or chicken tempura, is one of Oita’s most beloved local dishes—so popular that it’s often said “no one in Oita doesn’t know toriten.”
Chicken pieces are coated in tempura batter and deep-fried, then enjoyed with ponzu sauce and condiments such as mustard or yuzu kosho.

The dish is said to have originated at Toyoken, Oita’s first restaurant in Beppu. In the early Showa era, the restaurant wanted to make chicken easier to eat for women, since karaage at the time was bone-in. They cut boneless chicken thigh meat into bite-sized pieces, coated it in a light tempura batter, and fried it. Easier to cook than karaage, with a crispy yet tender coating, toriten quickly gained popularity. Today, it is served at restaurants across Oita Prefecture.

Chicken Rice (Oita City, throughout Oita)

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Our Local Cuisine"

Chicken rice from the Yoshino district of Oita City is a simple yet comforting dish made by cooking rice with chicken simmered in soy sauce, sake, and sugar, along with burdock root and vegetables.
During times of food scarcity, chickens were raised in many households as a valuable source of protein. This hearty, rustic dish embodies the warmth of “mom’s home cooking” and continues to be cherished today.

Chicken Soup (Bungo-Ono City)

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Our Local Cuisine"

Once considered a luxury dish, chicken soup (niwatori-jiru) was served for celebrations or to welcome guests. Families would prepare a home-raised chicken, using the meat and innards for dishes like chicken rice, while the leftover bones were simmered into soup.

Bite-sized chicken, burdock root, dried shiitake mushrooms, and green onions are sautéed, then simmered in a clear broth made with kombu. The result is a simple yet deeply nourishing dish that carries the essence of Oita’s food culture.

And There's More...

• Toyonoshamo Chicken Rice (Bungo-Ono City)
  Made with Oita’s local brand chicken, “Toyonoshamo.” The firm yet juicy meat is cooked with burdock root and Oita-grown shiitake mushrooms, producing a rich and flavorful rice dish.

• Grilled Jidori Chicken (Yufu City)
  A specialty of Yufuin. The town is home to many restaurants where visitors can enjoy a variety of dishes made with local jidori chicken.

• Gokuraku Onkei (Kokonoe Town)
  A traditional hot spring dish said to have originated in the late Taisho era at Sujiyu Onsen. A whole chicken is stuffed with vegetables and slowly steamed for over two hours using geothermal steam at around 100°C, resulting in a rustic yet impressive dish unique to Oita’s hot spring region.

Conclusion

While karaage and toriten can now be found all across Japan, tasting them in Oita—their place of origin—offers a whole new experience. Whether it’s savoring local specialties in Nakatsu, Usa, Beppu, or Yufuin, Oita invites you to rediscover Japan’s love affair with chicken. After sushi and ramen, why not plan a culinary journey focused on chicken? Oita just might become your next favorite food destination.