Japanese fried chicken is seasoned, hand breaded, and deep fried. It is made from boneless thigh cut into pieces, not from a whole bird, and it is called karaage.
Where it comes from
The dish traces to 1920s Japan and to the Toyoken restaurant in Beppu. The technique has roots in Chinese cooking, and it spread widely after the Second World War, when it was a way to make a small amount of meat go a long way.
Making it at home
Marinate chicken thigh in garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sake. Flour the pieces, then deep fry until golden brown. That will get you most of the way there — though a restaurant will usually have a seasoning of its own that does not appear on any list.
Ours is on the menu, next to the white sauce and the original barbecue sauce we make here every week.