As I opened the door, the handmade washi noren crafted by a Kyoto artisan gently brushed against my arm. Inside, there were no unnecessary signs, and the walls were finished in a matte black paint, with only the central hinoki counter illuminated by several spotlights.In 2019, the owner and head chef, Sota Hirohata, relocated the restaurant to its current location in Hirao, transforming it from a small, inconspicuous izakaya into the "ultimate stage" with just 10 bar counter seats. Now, it ranks first in Kyushu yakitori on Japanese gourmet sites and eighth nationwide, becoming a legendary establishment in the yakitori scene.Three months prior, I made a reservation and embarked on a "pilgrimage" with a friend. Hirohata's yakitori style is filled with a wildness that belies his experience as a seasoned chef, and it reflects a precision honed from his past aspirations in medicine, completely breaking away from traditional yakitori techniques.He does not adhere to a single standard of "cooking thoroughly"; instead, he establishes individual cooking methods for each part of the chicken. Each skewer is infused with subtle, unspoken innovations. The quail egg has a runny yolk that bursts on the tongue, devoid of any fishy taste, and is grilled with a delicate coating of dashi soy sauce. The chicken liver is lightly seared, soft as melted foie gras, with a rich aroma of fat and no trace of the typical offal smell. The texture of the chicken gizzard is at a perfect critical point, with every surface lightly charred over the charcoal. The kyoto onion served with the chicken thigh is selected from sweet onions grown in Fukuoka, using only the tender middle part, grilled until the edges are slightly colored, and when bitten into, it has no spiciness at all.A standout dish is the rice mixed with egg yolk and katsuobushi. Only the yolk of fresh, sterile eggs collected that day is used, marinated in kombu soy sauce and mirin, turning the surface of the yolk a pale amber color. When gently prodded with chopsticks, the rich yolk flows into the crevices of the rice, and with the first bite, the marinated saltiness enhances the umami in a perfect balance. Its sticky texture resembles a soy sauce glaze from braised dried abalone in Chinese cuisine, offering a natural and flawless flavor.During the meal, the chef took out finely chopped Japanese radish and ground chicken from the refrigerator, wrapped it in nori, and sprinkled it with finely chopped Kujo green onions, presenting it with a smile as a "palate cleanser." The ground chicken is made from the breast meat of the brand chicken "Kozaka-dori," which is safe to eat raw, and the crunchy radish envelops the aroma of the meat, refreshing the palate after the richness of the previous skewers. Despite being raw chicken, it leaves a sweet and fragrant aftertaste, creating a delightful lingering flavor.The rhythm of his yakitori is akin to composing a narrative with a clear structure. He does not serve a barrage of rich, fatty skewers all at once; instead, he begins with a few lighter salt-grilled pieces to awaken the taste buds with a faint charcoal aroma, gradually transitioning to richer, rare cuts, leading the flavors and aromas to a peak, and finishing with a soft chicken meatball skewer. The meatball is mixed with finely chopped cartilage and green beans, and the moment you bite into it, the contrasting textures of the green beans and cartilage unfold, while the chicken remains juicy and rich, leaving a gentle charcoal aroma lingering.The chef's mastery reaches its zenith here, perfectly controlling the flow of the yakitori experience.The final dish served was a soy sauce chicken bone ramen, with just the right amount for one bite, warming me from the tongue to the bottom of my stomach as I finished it.By the time I left the restaurant, it was already late at night. Sota Hirohata bowed deeply to see me off. He spent over a decade transforming from a novice with no cooking experience to the owner of a top-ranked yakitori restaurant in Kyushu and eighth in the nation. Standing in front of the grill, he resembles an "improvisational creator" holding a skewer rather than a craftsman following prescribed procedures. His yakitori never produces the same flavor, and with each bite, one can sense his unique, unrestrained vitality. This is the one-of-a-kind taste of yakitori that Sota Hirohata has arrived at after exploring renowned establishments across the country, breaking free from all conventions.It was a great meal.