Joint the chicken, then, with a heavy cleaver, cut each drumstick and thigh in half. Cut the breasts in half lengthways, then cut each half across into three pieces. Wings are cut into three at the joints, and the tips discarded or put into the stock pot. The back may be cut across into four pieces, or used for stock if preferred.
In a bowl, combine the shoyu, mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat, then leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, turning regularly so all the chicken is covered. Drain well, reserving the marinade.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking dish and arrange the chicken in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn each piece of chicken over and roast for a further 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C. Drain the fat from the baking dish, and spoon some of the marinade over the chicken. Continue cooking for a further 20–25 minutes, basting with the marinade every 10 minutes, until the chicken is tender, well glazed and browned. Serve hot with rice, or cold as an appetiser or picnic food.
Note:
To cook chicken teriyaki in a frying pan, drain the pieces of chicken well, reserving the marinade. Dry the chicken on paper towel and pierce the skin a few times with a fork. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and cook the chicken, skin side down first, then turning until brown on both sides. Drain off the oil, add half of the marinade to the pan, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is almost tender. Uncover and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the chicken is well glazed and brown and the marinade is quite thick.