Sanzoku-yaki

The cook marinates boneless chicken thigh or breast in a garlic and soy sauce, first for about an hour and then overnight in the fridge, then coats it thickly in potato starch and fries it whole, according to Nap Camp's regional food guide. That makes it bigger and crunchier than karaage, which is cut into bites before frying. Yaki means grilled, and the story goes that oil was scarce in the 1940s, so cooks shallow-fried the chicken on both sides in a little oil.

Two cities claim the dish. In Shiojiri, Ganso Sanzoku near the station says its first owners looked so much like bandits, sanzoku, that the shop and the dish took the name. Matsumoto credits Kasho, now in Asama Onsen. The Matsumoto Sanzoku-yaki Ouendan supporters' group sets five rules for member shops, among them one whole piece of thigh or breast and ginger in the sauce. Yamaguchi has a grilled dish with the same name, and it is a different thing altogether.