Toriten
とり天Dish
Toriten suits anyone in Oita who wants the local answer to fried chicken, and it is chicken in a light tempura batter that most people eat with vinegar, soy and mustard.
Where to eat Toriten · 1 place
Oita eats a lot of chicken. In Japan's 2019 household survey of prefectural capitals and major cities, Oita City came top for chicken bought per household. Toriten, chicken thigh or breast seasoned with soy and garlic and fried in tempura batter, is as common across the prefecture as karaage.
Japan's ministry of agriculture credits Toyoken in Beppu, which opened as Oita's first restaurant in 1926. In the early Showa years the bone-in karaage on its menu was hard to eat neatly, so the kitchen cut boneless thigh into bite-size pieces and fried them like tempura. The idea spread to other restaurants quickly.
Quick answers about Toritenよくある質問
What do you dip toriten in?
Most people in Oita dip toriten in vinegar and soy sauce with a little mustard. Ponzu and kabosu, a local citrus, are common too.
How do you order Toriten?
Order it as a set meal or a plate on its own, and dip each piece in vinegar and soy with a dab of mustard. Some places offer ponzu or kabosu citrus instead.
When is Toriten in season?
Toriten: All year.
Where can you eat Toriten in Japan?
Places we list for Toriten include Restaurant Toyoken.