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