“Hibachi”- that is now what most people call the common barbecue grill. This portable cooking device is popularly used to cook barbecue outdoors. The “hibachi” is commercially available in almost all the market places. It is commonly made of steel with grills on the top and a container for charcoals. Some are equipped with stand. The main feature is that it can be easily stowed away when not in use. Because it is small, urban dwellers often use the “hibachi” in the patios of high rise buildings.To Japanese, a ‘hibachi’ is not a barbecue grill. A real Japanese hibachi uses the charcoals just like the barbecue grills but it is not used for outdoor cooking. It is normally used indoors to heat the food. Hibachi’s are commonly made of ceramic or clay and are often placed in the dining table to maintain the heat of the food. It is common in traditional Japanese restaurants to serve the food on top of a hibachi. Hibachis are decorated with embellishments. Antique hibachis can still be purchased today proving that they were built to last.
Legend tells us that Japanese hibachis are commonly used by the warriors of Japan to heat their tea and food. They are normally used inside the cold war zone tents. It is also used as a heater or lighter during the old imperial Japanese days. It was common in the train stations of Japan prior to the Second World War until they were replaced by heaters.
The common barbecue grill’s counterpart in Japan is the “shichirin”. It is a portable, light and small cooking stove.