There are three main types of charcoal: black charcoal, white charcoal/binchotan, and sawdust, and they are made using different methods and different types of wood.
Each type has different characteristics when burning (burning time, amount of ash, ease of ignition, etc.).

The key to making binchotan less likely to explode is to gradually heat the charcoal itself and gradually transfer the fire. When lighting the gas stove, do not heat the binchotan over high heat all at once. Instead, heat it over low heat first to release the water vapor inside. Then gradually increase the heat to light the entire charcoal.
If you are adding charcoal during business hours, warm the charcoal by placing it away from the source of the fire in the furnace beforehand. Take your time and slowly move the binchotan closer to the source of the fire and gradually transfer the fire. Also, charcoal with knots or cracks in the wood is more likely to explode. It is also important to avoid such areas and arrange the charcoal so that the fire comes into contact with the smooth parts of the charcoal surface.Since charcoal is constantly breathing, please avoid storing it in a humid place as it may cause an explosion. Please be mindful of the safety of those around you when using it.

Low-quality charcoal is poorly carbonized and contains impurities, which when burned will produce smoke and an unpleasant odor even before the food is grilled. On the other hand, high-quality charcoal will not produce any odor or smoke even at the fire-starting stage.
So what is the “good smell of charcoal grilling (charcoal aroma)”? A typical example is the smoking effect. When food is grilled over charcoal, the fat and sauce drip onto the charcoal, which heats up and turns into mist (smoke).
The smoke clings to the food and smokes it, giving it the “charcoal grilling aroma.” Ash also contains minerals, so when the ash floats around and sticks to the food, it enhances its flavor and aroma.

Binchotan is white charcoal made by carbonizing Ubamegashi (which includes oaks). However, in recent years, it has become common to call it Binchotan as a general term for hard, well-burned charcoal, including other types of charcoal besides Ubamegashi.
Binchotan, which has been burned tightly through a process called “nerashi,” produces a high-pitched metallic sound when struck, and its cross section sparkles. Because it is hard, it has a stable, long-lasting heat, and the heat can be easily adjusted from about 500 to 1000°C by fanning it with a fan. It is suitable for cooking that requires delicate heat adjustment.

Heat control is key in grilling. If the heat is too strong, the surface will burn and the flavor will escape through the gaps in the roughened tissue, and if the heat is too weak, the heat will not reach the inside.
Gas fires indirectly cook the food by heating the surrounding “air,” while charcoal fires heat the food directly. Charcoal fires emit four times as many far-infrared rays as gas fires, and when the emitted far-infrared rays hit the food and are absorbed, heat is generated there. In other words, charcoal fires efficiently heat the food directly from the surface and inside, so it can be cooked in a short time and the flavor and aroma can be preserved. Also, the hydrogen contained in gas combines with oxygen during combustion to produce water,
so when food is grilled, it becomes watery. On the other hand, high-quality charcoal is a mass of carbon, so it does not produce moisture when burned, and it does not damage the texture or dilute the flavor. Charcoal fire is a cooking method that can quickly heat the inside of the food to about 70 degrees without burning it, while keeping the flavor locked in.