Grilling in Tokyo

[pizzicatogo]

Hey, me and a friend of mine kind of miss grilling back home in America, so we decided to get some supplies and try it out here. We think we've found most everything we need, but I've got a couple of questions for you guys. First of all, we have a grill, but it's pretty small and cheap. Any ideas on where to get a decent one? I don't need anything fancy like something back home, but just something that's big enough to cook a couple of steaks and some chicken on.

Also, any idea on a place to buy cheap, plastic lawn chairs or something similar? I've seen some around, but I'm not sure where people buy them.

Thanks

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by pizzicatogo

Hey, me and a friend of mine kind of miss grilling back home in America, so we decided to get some supplies and try it out here. We think we've found most everything we need, but I've got a couple of questions for you guys. First of all, we have a grill, but it's pretty small and cheap. Any ideas on where to get a decent one? I don't need anything fancy like something back home, but just something that's big enough to cook a couple of steaks and some chicken on.

Also, any idea on a place to buy cheap, plastic lawn chairs or something similar? I've seen some around, but I'm not sure where people buy them.

Thanks

Check home centers for plastic chairs and nice grills. They usually have a fairly wide selection of different sizes and styles - especially as the weather gets warmer. I`m not familiar with the chains in Tokyo, but around here it`s Conan, Kahma, D2, and the like. The DIY places.

Beware though - in most places open flames (campfire and grill) are STRONGLY restricted. Even grill friendly parks usually have a grill area with public grills, and everywhere else is no open flame. You can get into serious trouble and rack up some heavy fines for breaking these laws. Be absolutely 100% certain that the land you are on allows open flames. Even private property doesn`t in most cases (a matter of zoning) and occasionally require that you file paperwork before hand. In some cases, it can be a serious enough offense to get you arrested.
When it comes to grilling on balconies, some places will grudgingly allow it if the grill is below a certain size (one fish size) while in others it is enough to get you evicted immediately.

Be very very careful of where you grill, the laws regarding the flames, and the size rules for grills if they allow them. In general, Japan is very strict when it comes to the risk of fire - and this is quadrupled when you are in a city.

Otherwise - have fun. There are places that allow grilling if you follow the rules, so it`s not impossible. Just be aware.

[JayT]

Tokyu Hands in Shibuya or Shinjukuu.

[bELyVIS]

Just don't cook hamburger (Kobe beef especially) on a grill on your balcony, like I made the mistake of. Luckily the smoke stopped by the time the fire department came and they couldn't find me.