Grilled Corn on the Cob Recipe: Yaki Tomorokoshi

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3 min read

Last updated September 28, 2026

Yaki-tomorokoshi (grilled corn) recipe 焼きとうもろこし (ya-key toe-moe-roe-koe-she)

If any of you like corn on the cob you will love this recipe. There are only 3 main ingredients. I am willing to bet you will think this is the best corn on the cob you have ever eaten. I am including a video in this article. My recipe is slightly different than the one in the video and I think mine tastes a lot better but up to you to decide. Mine is slightly sweeter and the video is saltier.

1. Corn
2. Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons per 4 cobs)
3. Mirin (3 Tablespoons per 4 cobs)
4. (optional you can add more sugar if you want it slightly sweeter. Maybe 1 or 2 Tablespoons)
5. (Optional Shichimi Togarashi) Japanese 7 Spice.  Highly recommended)

Mirin is simply sweetened Sake and you can find it now in pretty much any supermarket in the Japanese section. My local Kroger sells Mirin and the 7 spice. You can make your own by simply mixing some sugar with Sake which is definitely easy to find in any wine section and is simply rice wine.

For the sauce you want a 1:1 combination for as much as you want to make. Mix 1 part soy sauce with 1 part mirin and bring to a boil over the stove then reduce to a low heat and cook around 4 or 5 minutes then turn off heat, maybe a little longer if you added sugar to make sure it is dissolved. The amount depends on much much corn you plan to cook.

Shuck corn and remove silk and husks. Drop in boiling water around 2 to 3 minutes maximum and remove. This pre-cooks the corn and allows it to cook faster on the grill or oven if you prefer. Then simply coat the corn with the sauce and put on grill. Turn corn often and keep coating with sauce often.

If you want to use an oven instead of your grill, 400 degrees for around 20 minutes is about right but can vary depending on corn type and size. Turn and coat with sauce often and careful not to under or overcook.

There is also a more traditional recipe here if you like with no boiling.

This sauce is also good with pretty much any vegetable you want to grill or even chicken or steak. It is a very simple teriyaki type sauce. For the traditional teriyaki sauce simply add 1/4 cup sake, 2 Tablespoon sugar, 1/2 inch piece crushed ginger, and 2 crushed garlic cloves  to this recipe and you will have real teriyaki sauce far better than the imitation sauce you thought was teriyaki sauce at restaurants. Cook on stove around 5 to 8 minutes low heat after boil. You can add a dash of corn starch if you prefer your sauce thickened. 

After the corn is ready if you want to add butter that is fine. I think butter goes well with this recipe. I wouldn’t add any salt though since soy sauce provides enough. Instead of pepper try Shichimi Togarashi which is sold in most grocery stores. It is like a seasoned pepper that most people will love. Here is a picture  

どうぞ召し上がれ！(Dozo meshiagare! Bon Appétit! in Japanese) 

Pronounced: Doe-Zoe Meshy-Gah-Ray)