[Latest in 2024] Must-Visit Eel and Hitsumabushi Restaurants in Aichi

Aichi Prefecture is known as one of Japan’s top eel-producing regions, with high-quality eel farmed here. Many eel restaurants attract visitors from both within and outside the prefecture. In this guide, we’ve selected the best places to enjoy eel dishes from across Aichi. Experience the subtle differences in each dish, with flavors that vary depending on the restaurant’s unique grilling methods and sauces.

• Tokai
• Aichi
• Local gourmet
• specialty
• JapanUnagi

[Obu City] Eel Kaiseki Cuisine Mikado Kyowa branch

A Famous Eel Restaurant in Business for Over 50 Years

Located a short walk from JR Kyowa Station, this eel restaurant has been serving exquisite eel since its establishment in 1973. The eel is carefully grilled on a stone grill using bincho charcoal, which creates a crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender and fluffy. Their secret sauce, passed down through generations, complements the eel perfectly. The restaurant offers a variety of dishes, including the standard "kabayaki" (grilled eel on skewers), "Unaju" (grilled eel over rice), and the "mabushi," (earthenware pot eel rice dish cooked with raw rice in a special pot). Enjoy your favorite dish to your heart's content.

[Ichinomiya City] Namazuya Ichinomiya Branch

If You Want to Eat a Full Meal, Try the "Medium Stuffed" Eel Bowl

Namazuya Ichinomiya Branch is a long-established eel restaurant loved in Owari Ichinomiya. Since its establishment, the restaurant has been sourcing domestic eels. The eel can be enjoyed in "unadon" (eel bowl), "unaju" (grilled eel over rice), and "nagayaki" (long grilled eel). The eel's moderate fat and sauce are exquisitely balanced. You can also try the "medium stuffed" eel bowl ("Nakazume"), where eel is layered inside the rice as well as on top. At night, be sure to try the "kimoyaki" (grilled eel liver) and the "koi sashimi" (carp sashimi with special vinegared miso), along with the back-menu "pickles."

Exquisite Large Eels– Twice the Size!?

The eels, which have passed strict inspections, are carefully grilled, and the original sauce, expertly blended to complement the eel's fat, enhances the delicious flavor. The large eels, weighing about 240g—roughly twice the size of a normal eel—are offered at a reasonable price. A popular choice at the main branch in Higashi-Osaka, "Fuse Meidai Unagiya Kurofune," and a hot topic on social media, is the "rich, fluffy butter" topping. With a subtle buttery aroma, it adds a deeper richness to the dish, available for just an additional 200 yen on the regular menu. Why not try it?

Kiyosu Nadai Unagiya Kurofune

[Okazaki City] Unagi no Shimomura Okazaki branch

High-Quality Eel for the Whole Family to Enjoy.

This long-established restaurant offers high quality, fat eels, mainly from Mikawa-Ishiki, Aichi Prefecture, one of Japan's leading eel production areas. The evening menu comes with a complimentary "liver soup." The restaurant offers lunch deals on both weekdays and weekends, making it a great place to enjoy a casual meal. All seats are table seating, so there's no need to remove your shoes or strain your legs and back. They also offer a "Kids' bowl" with a slice of eel on it, making it a family-friendly place for everyone to enjoy.

[Nagoya City] Unashou

A Popular Eel Restaurant That Draws Visitors from Near and Far

Eels at the popular Nagoya restaurant "Unasho" are grilled over binchotan (binchotan charcoal) after each order while checking the firmness of the meat, and are then dipped twice in a secret sauce. The secret sauce, which has been preserved since the establishment of the restaurant, is a little sweet and is well-known as a sauce that you will never get tired of, no matter how much you eat. The "Hitsumabushi" (chopped grilled eel on rice) and "Unaju (grilled eel over rice)" are all superbly flavored, and the "Unagi Donburi (eel bowl)" is especially recommended. The sauce soaks through every grain of freshly cooked rice, and the fluffy, fragrant, thick kabayaki on top is a must-have. The craftsmanship shines through.

[Nagoya City] Hitsumabushi Unashin

Enjoy a Dish Filled with the Owner's Specialties

As the restaurant name suggests, "Unashin" serves Nagoya's specialty "Hitsumabushi" (chopped eel on rice). The eel is cooked over a double flame of bincho charcoal and gas fire. The rice is a blend of several types based on Koshihikari rice. The blend has been thoughtfully created to be tasty both cooked and in ochazuke (rice with green tea). We hope you will try our "Hitsumabushi," which is full of the owner's specialties.

As the restaurant name suggests, "Unashin" serves Nagoya's specialty "Hitsu-mabushi" (eel on rice). The eel is cooked over a double flame of bincho charcoal and gas fire.The rice is a blend of several types based on Koshihikari rice. The blend has been thoughtfully created to be tasty both cooked and in ochazuke (rice with green tea). We hope you will try our "Hitsu-mabushi", which is full of the owner's specialties.

[Kita Nagoya City] Nakasho Main branch

Premium Extra-Large Eels, Handpicked for Their Peak Flavor

The freshly judged eels are slowly grilled over our own brand of binchotan charcoal. The crispy texture on the outside and soft and fluffy inside make the "Hitsumabushi Jo" (grilled eel over rice) and "Unadon Toku jo" (eel bowl) one of our most prized dishes. The sophisticated restaurant, which has a "tateba" where eels are cleaned of mud using well water, has wooden table seating and is recommended for a luxurious meal for both solo diners and families.

Delicious à la carte eel dishes

In addition to the "Hitsumabushi" and "Unadon", we recommend the "Umaki" eel roll, soaked in hot broth. The slightly sweet egg, fluffy grilled eel, and the delicious flavor of the broth will spread in your mouth. The "Kimoyaki", a huge dish made from the liver of a giant eel, is also a superb dish.

[Nagakute City] Unakou

The "Famous Oomabushi" Is a Must-Try for Large Groups

Unayuki is located about 3 minutes by car from the Nagakute Interchange. This restaurant is passionate about serving delicious eels. We handle only the finest eels of the season. The eel is grilled over a charcoal fire using binchotan charcoal to make it fluffy and aromatic. The "Famous Oomabushi" is a popular dish that makes a big impact and can be shared with family and friends. The dish can be enjoyed with friends while changing the flavor with chazuke broth and condiments.

If You're Visiting Aichi, Make Sure to Try the Eels!

The artisanal skills of the chefs at each restaurant shine through in exquisite eel dishes. There are a variety of ways to eat eel, including unadon (eel bowl), unaju (grilled eel over rice), hitsumabushi, kabayaki (glaze-grilled eel), and kimoyaki (grilled eel liver). You can choose the one that best suits your taste, whether for lunch or dinner. We hope you find your favorite restaurant among those introduced here.