Looking for a table grill, you will come across three names. A shichirin is the classic round or rectangular grill made of diatomaceous earth. A konro is the long, narrow version for skewers. Hibachi is the name used outside Japan for both. The principle is the same: a well-insulated pot that needs little charcoal and keeps the heat right under the grate.
Fire a table grill with binchotan, the hard Japanese white charcoal. It burns for hours, barely smokes and gives a very even heat. Use it outdoors or in a well-ventilated place: even low-smoke charcoal releases carbon monoxide.
