The konro is a Japanese table-top charcoal grill used for yakitori, yakiniku, and other direct-heat preparations. The traditional konro body is made of diatomite (珪藻土), a highly insulating material that concentrates heat at the cooking surface and stays cool on the outside.
Binchotan charcoal
Konro are designed for binchotan (白炭), a hard charcoal produced from ubame oak. Binchotan burns at consistent high temperature (600–700°C surface) for 3–5 hours with almost no smoke or odour, and no volatile compounds that would affect delicate flavours like yakitori tare. Standard charcoal cannot replicate this.
Lighting binchotan
Binchotan is hard and requires significant initial heat to light — a gas flame or chimney starter, 15–20 minutes. Do not use lighter fluid; the residue affects flavour. When fully lit, the charcoal glows orange with a grey-white ash surface.