How did eel become a popular dish? Learn about its history
Eel has been a food that has been loved by the Japanese since ancient times, and is even mentioned in the Manyoshu of the Nara period as a nutritious food that helps with weight loss in the summer.
During the Edo period, with the spread of soy sauce and sweet seasonings, kabayaki (grilled eel in a sweet and spicy sauce) was perfected in its current form, and became a huge hit due to its deliciousness.
“Doyō no Ushi no Hi” is a Japanese custom of eating eel.
The custom of eating eel on “Doyō no Ushi no Hi” is said to have begun around the Bunka and Bunsei eras (1804-1830) in the late Edo period, and there is a famous anecdote about Hiraga Gennai having an eel restaurant, whose sales were dropping in the summer, put up a sign saying “Today is the Day of the Ox.”
This clever advertising took advantage of the custom of “eating foods with the letter ‘u’ in them on the day of the ox to ward off the summer heat,” and the custom of eating eel spread among the people of Edo.
Before long, eel’s popularity skyrocketed, and in Tokyo it was established as one of the four great Edo specialties, alongside sushi, soba, and tempura.
There are differences in how eel is cooked in Tokyo and Osaka
There are also differences in how eels are cooked in Edo (Kanto) and Kamigata (Kansai).
In Edo, large, fatty eels were split open from the back and steamed before being grilled, whereas in Osaka and other parts of the Kansai region, eels are split open from the belly and grilled directly on the grill, a “jiyaki” style.
The Kanto style, which is steamed, has a soft and fluffy texture, while the Kansai style, which is not steamed, has a fragrant and crispy skin, creating the difference between the rich Edomae kabayaki and the fragrant Kamigata kabayaki.
The differences in food culture and cooking methods can also be said to be the historical depth of eel cuisine.
Introducing how to eat Unagi-ju
Unaju is a dish of grilled eel placed on top of rice and packed into a tiered box.
Traditional unaju is served with a clear soup (usually liver soup) and pickles, which enhance the flavor of the eel.
How to eat Unagi-ju
After opening the lid, the elegant way to eat it is to first quench your thirst with some soup before picking up the eel and rice bowl.
To ensure that the rice and eel are balanced in your mouth, start eating from the bottom left of the bento box without breaking it, and it will also look beautiful.
To cleanse your palate, try the pickled vegetables that are served with the meal, which will refresh your palate and reset your taste buds, allowing you to enjoy the meal to the very last bite.
What is the green powder on the desk?
Sansho pepper is an essential supporting ingredient in unaju .
The powdered sansho pepper that comes with the dish has a refreshing aroma and a tangy spiciness that enhances the flavor of the fatty eel. The trick to using it is not to sprinkle it directly on top of the eel.
If you sprinkle sansho pepper directly on top of the grilled eel, the scent will be too strong and will overpower the natural flavor of the eel, so first flip the eel over with chopsticks, sprinkle an appropriate amount on top of the rice, and then put the eel back in.
It’s a good idea to start by enjoying the natural flavor of the eel without adding anything, then sprinkle a little bit of Japanese pepper halfway through to experience the difference in aroma.
Some restaurants have kabayaki sauce available on the table. In that case,
a connoisseur’s way of enjoying it is to add a little sauce to the rice halfway through and enjoy “tare-meshi” (rice with sauce). You can drink the soup as a palate cleanser midway through, or savor it slowly after the meal.
If you eat every last grain of rice properly and close the lid of the box, you will have achieved perfect eating etiquette.
Top 10 recommended eel restaurants in Minami, Osaka
We’ll introduce 10 popular restaurants in Osaka Minami (around Namba and Shinsaibashi) where you can enjoy delicious eel dishes. All of them have received high reviews (4 stars or more) and are popular with tourists.
We have summarized the characteristics, business hours, and locations of each store in bullet points.
1. Locally Grilled Eel Hozenji Yamakazu
This long -established restaurant has been in business for over 50 years. They use the Kansai-style grilling method, where live eels are butchered after an order is placed and then slowly grilled over binchotan charcoal. The Kansai style, which does not involve steaming, is characterized by crispy, fragrant skin and plump, juicy meat. Their specialty is the luxurious unaju (eel rice bowl) made with a whole eel.
- Address and access: 1-1-16 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka (inside Hozenji Yokocho). 5 minutes walk from Exit 14 of Namba Station on the subway.
- Business hours: 11:30-14:30 (LO 14:00), 17:00-22:00 (LO 21:30). Irregular holidays
- Review rating: Google ★4.2/5 (Highly rated for the fragrant sauce and the hearty Kansai-style eel)
- English menu: None (staff may be able to speak simple English)
2. Unagi Manzo
This relatively new restaurant specializes in eels. They offer high-quality eels from Kagoshima, grilled to perfection over binchotan charcoal, at reasonable prices. Located directly in front of the Namba Grand Kagetsu theater, they also have tatami seating and can accommodate groups. Despite their casual atmosphere, this popular restaurant is particular about the quality of their eels, rice, and sauces.
- Address and access: 12-4 Namba Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Kawachiya Building 1st and 2nd floors. 2 minutes walk from Nankai Namba Station and Osaka Metro Namba Station.
- Business hours: 11:00-21:00 (last orders 20:30), open every day
- Review rating: Google ★ 4.1/5 (Good value for money and convenient location)
- English menu: Available (English menu available. Staff can also speak basic English.)
3. Sumibiyaki Nedoko Shinsaibashi Main Branch
Founded in 2010, this popular restaurant serves skewered eel dishes in a relaxing Japanese-style space with a counter as the main focus. As the name “Eel Bed” suggests, their signature dishes are eel skewers (such as grilled liver and kabayaki skewers) and eel rice bowls. They also offer a wide selection of creative eel dishes and sake pairings, making this a well-known restaurant with many local regulars.
- Address and access : Mitsudera Lees Building 2F, 2-6-11 Higashishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, 542-0083
- Opening hours : Lunch 11:30-14:00, Dinner 18:00-23:00 (last orders 22:30). Irregular holidays
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.3/5 (Highly rated for “The savory grilled eel skewers are exquisite” and “Enjoy a different flavor from the Kanto region”)
- English menu : No (Menus are only in Japanese, but some staff have experience speaking English)
4. Hachiya: Eel Fishing and Eel Rice Bowl
As the name suggests, this is a unique restaurant where you can experience eel fishing inside the restaurant . If you catch an eel swimming in the fish tank yourself, you will receive a 2,000 yen discount off your bill. The eels you catch are immediately filleted and grilled over binchotan charcoal, so they are incredibly fresh. Their signature dish, unaju (eel rice bowl), is crispy on the outside and fluffy and fragrant on the inside, making it a memorable dish to pair with your fishing experience.
- Address and access : 1F-4F Sennichimae Central 7th Building, 3-12 Namba Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka. 3 minutes walk from Nankai Namba Station
- Business hours : Monday and Sunday 11:30-23:00 (last orders 22:00), Tuesday to Saturday 11:30-4:00 (late-night hours available, last orders 3:00 ) . Irregular holidays
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.0/5 (The experience was fun and the restaurant was well-received, with comments such as “It was a great experience for families” and “You can enjoy eel even late at night.”)
- English menu : Available (English, Chinese, and Korean menus available, and staff who can speak foreign languages are also on staff)
5. Kuromon Eel
This up-and-coming eel specialty restaurant opened in December 2024. Located in the famous Kuromon Market area, it serves generous portions of Kiso Sansen eel, a brand of eel from Mie Prefecture. The Unagi-ju (Eel Rice Bowl) is a premium item topped with a whole and a half eels, and while it’s on the pricey side, ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 yen, you can enjoy the exquisite thickness and flavor. The eel, carefully grilled by a skilled chef, pairs perfectly with the sauce, making this a popular choice for special occasions or as a treat for yourself.
- Address and access : 2-3-19 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka. 3-minute walk from Nihonbashi Station on the Kintetsu Line (close to Kuromon Market)
- Business hours : 11:00-18:00 (closes when sold out). Open daily
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.5/5 (Raving reviews include “It’s expensive, but the quality is worth it” and “I was surprised at how thick the eel meat was.”)
- English menu : Available (English page available. Staff are also accustomed to assisting foreigners)
6. Eel Jon
This hidden eel specialty restaurant is quietly located on the cobblestone streets of Hozenji Yokocho . In a calm space with only eight counter seats, a chef prepares the eel right before your eyes and serves it as skewers or unaju. The signature “Special Unagi-ju” is a masterpiece of soft, steamed eel coated in a secret sauce, with a texture that melts in your mouth. Reservations are required at this popular restaurant, and it has a good reputation among foreign customers who say, “You can enjoy eel dishes that combine traditional techniques with modern sensibilities.”
- Address and access : 1F Echigen Building, 1-1-18 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka (inside Hozenji Yokocho). 3-4 minutes walk from Exit 14 of Namba Station on the subway.
- Business hours : 11:30-15:00 (last orders 14:00), 17:00-23:00 (last orders 22:00). Open daily
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.6/5 (Highly rated with comments such as “I’m amazed to find such delicious eel in Osaka” and “The tranquil atmosphere makes for a special experience”)
- English menu : None (*The owner may be able to provide basic English instructions)
7. Tokyo Chikuyotei Namba Branch
This is an Osaka branch of the long-established Tokyo restaurant Chikuyotei , founded at the end of the Edo period , where you can enjoy the flavors of the restaurant. Following the Edomae method of cooking eel, the restaurant is known for its Kanto-style cooking, where eels are split open along the back, first grilled lightly, then steamed, and then dipped in a sweet and spicy sauce until they are fragrantly grilled. In addition to the famous unaju, they also serve other elegant Japanese dishes such as hitsumabushi, tai chazuke, and dashi-maki tamago (rolled omelet). Located inside Takashimaya, you can enjoy a relaxing meal in a calm, high-quality space. The customer service is attentive, creating an atmosphere that is welcoming even to tourists.
- Address and access : 5-1-18 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Takashimaya Osaka Store, 7th floor (inside Namba Dining Maison). Directly connected to Nankai Namba Station and Osaka Metro Namba Station.
- Business hours : 11:00-21:30 (last orders 21:00). Same as Takashimaya’s regular holidays.
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.2/5 (Consistently rated with comments such as “elegant flavors make it easy for foreigners to eat” and “easy access within a department store”)
- English menu : Available (English menu and English-speaking staff available)
8. Edogawa Namba Walk Store
This is a branch of Edogawa, an eel restaurant chain with operations mainly in the Kansai region. Established over 100 years ago, this long-established restaurant prides itself on its plump, tender eel, steamed and grilled in the Kanto style, and its sweet sauce, which has been added to since the restaurant opened. Conveniently located in Minami’s underground shopping mall, it’s easy to stop by while shopping. In addition to unaju, they also offer a wide variety of dishes, including a hitsumabushi-style mabushi bowl, eel rolls, and set menus with eel liver soup. With prices at around 3,000 yen (tax included) per serving of unaju, they’re popular with a wide range of customers, from tourists to local families.
- Address and access : 2-1-14 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Shin-Midosuji Namba Walk 1st Street (underground shopping mall). 1 minute walk from the northwest ticket gate of Namba Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line.
- Business hours : 11:00-22:00 (last orders 21:00). Irregular holidays (same as Namba Walk *closed on the third Wednesday of odd-numbered months)
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.0/5 (Consistent reviews include “The quality is unbelievable for a chain” and “The takeout bento is delicious”).
- English menu : Available (Multilingual menu with pictures available. Foreign language speaking staff available on certain days)
9. Kuromon Kawahiro
Kawahiro, a legendary eel restaurant near Kuromon Market that has been beloved for over half a century, has miraculously made a comeback after 13 years under the second-generation owner. Its specialty, Mamushi eel rice, is served Kansai-style over an open flame, with grilled eel sandwiched between the rice, and is known for its deep flavor that you will never forget once you try it. It is a small restaurant with only a counter, and is only open during the day, so it can be a bit of a challenge to get in, but it is a hidden gem frequented by local food connoisseurs.
- Address and access : 1-22-9 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka. 5-minute walk from Kintetsu Nihonbashi Station or Osaka Metro Nihonbashi Station (north of Kuromon Market)
- Business hours : 11:00-16:00 (closes when eel is sold out). Closed: Sundays and public holidays
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.3/5 (Highly praised, with comments such as “The ultimate eel was worth the 13-year wait” and “The balance of flavor and sauce is exquisite.”)
- English menu : None (The owner speaks Japanese only. There are regular customers from overseas, but when you visit, it is recommended to order by pointing in Japanese.)
10. Unamo
Founded in 1946, this long-established eel specialty restaurant is one of Osaka’s most famous. They are proud of their traditional grilled eel, which is fragrant on the outside and plump on the inside, and their secret sauce, which has been passed down for 150 years. Their famous eel set meal (which comes with liver soup, simmered liver, and pickles) is very filling, and their sweet and spicy simmered liver has earned them a reputation as a “special dish that can only be tasted here.”
- Address and access : 2-3-11 Bakuromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka (Sakaisuji Honmachi area). 7 minutes walk from Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Honmachi Station.
- Business hours : Monday to Friday 11:00-22:00, Saturday 11:00-21:00. Closed on Sundays
- Review rating : Google ★ 4.1/5 (Many loyal fans comment that “the reliability you expect from a long-established restaurant” and “the simmered liver is exceptionally delicious”)
- English menu : None (Japanese only, but many foreigners visit for the taste of this long-established restaurant)
(Extra) You can easily enjoy eel at beef bowl chain restaurants
In addition to authentic eel specialty restaurants, major Japanese beef bowl chains are also offering affordable eel dishes during the summer. Even if you’re limited on time or budget, you can easily enjoy eel, so why not try it out during your trip?
- Sukiya ‘s Unadon
- Every summer, they sell “Unagyu,” a hybrid of “unadon” and gyudon. The “unadon” is made by coating plump eel that has been grilled three times and then coated in a special sweet sauce and placed on rice, and is reasonably priced from 980 yen (tax included).
- Yoshinoya ‘s Unagi-ju
- The long-established beef bowl chain Yoshinoya also sells unaju as a summer staple . Unagiju, made with carefully selected large eels grilled until plump in a secret sauce, costs 1,251 yen for one serving and 2,360 yen for two servings, including in-store tax.
There are also set menus with miso soup and a small bowl of beef, and the authentic eel flavor is popular, unlike that of a beef bowl chain. - Matsuya ‘s Unadon
- Matsuya, known for its curry and set menus, also offers “unadon” (eel bowl) for a limited time only during the summer. The fragrant eel, which is dipped in a special sauce four times, is popular every year for its quality that is hard to believe for a beef bowl chain. In addition to the simple unadon (980 yen), the restaurant offers other inventive and creative dishes such as the “unagi combo beef bowl” (1,230 yen), a combination bowl with beef bowl and “unatama bowl” (1,130 yen), and the “unatama bowl” (1,130 yen), topped with a soft, runny egg.
For those who value volume, there are also double and triple unadon ( eel bowls) with two or three pieces of eel , and you can enjoy a hearty bowl topped with up to three pieces of eel.
The eel dishes at these beef bowl chains are served in a short time and are more affordable than at specialty restaurants, making them perfect for travelers who want to try eel in a casual setting.
Even if you think that authentic unaju is too difficult to handle, we encourage you to give it a try. With just one easy bowl, you’ll surely be able to experience the charm of eel, a taste of summer in Japan.
