Yakitori was first recognized as a dish in Japan in the middle of the Edo Era (1604-1868) when the meat of wild birds such as ducks, quails and pigeons, which was very expensive, was cooked. Nowadays, Yakitori is served on the skewers used for cooking, but the meat used to be removed from the skewers before serving. The custom of people picking up food with their hands did not exist because it was not considered good manners. The convention of serving Yakitori on the skewers began as part of the food culture among common folk who preferred a more casual eating style. The people who originated the current style of eating Yakitori were farmers who visited the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto to pray for a prosperous harvest. On the road traveling to the Shrine, the farmers would cook and eat small birds such as sparrows which the farmers considered nuisances because they ruined the rice crops. Holding a Yakitori skewer in the hands and eating the meat was easy while walking along the road, and the dish became popular. In the Meiji Era (1868-1912), Yakitori was widely accepted as a folk dish. Wild fowl was served only at high class restaurants, while lower quality meat, bones, and organs became common dishes sold at street stands. Due to its reasonable price and wide availability, Yakitori became an essential part of folk food culture. In 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake struck Tokyo, destroying homes and requiring people to take meals outdoors. The consumption of Yakitori, which was easy to prepare with only make-shift cooking utensils, further widened at this time. In the Showa Era (1965-1974), the quality of Yakitori sold to the public significantcantly improved due to the introduction of the broiler chicken. Some shops specialized in jidori chickens raised in a certain place and in a certain method while others specialized by adopting an original cooking method or seasoning.The Yakitori business created a large new market. Today, Yakitori is a very common dish ordered at pubs and casual izakaya eating places. Simple and delicious, Yakitori is a representative folk dish that is a enduring favorite among people of all ages. Yakitori was included in the menu that Hideyoshi Toyotomi had at the Imperial Court when he was promoted to general in 1587. The Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 significantly changed eating customs. A common scene of people in Japan enjoying a quick bite after work.