Jun 26, 2022
Eating Unagi in Nagoya: Hitsumabushi
July 23 is Unagi no hi, or Unagi day! Unagi, or barbecued freshwater eel, is readily available all over Japan. Besides sushi, this is probably my favorite Japanese food. It can be a fantastic meal if you get a perfect place that selects its eel well and grills it over the coals just right. Often referred to as Kabayaki, the eel is deboned, filleted, and basted with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and sake before being steamed and/or barbecued over an open flame. There are two styles of properly preparing unagi; Tokyo and Osaka. Probably more, but this is what I could find!
The significant difference between them lies in Tokyo’s addition of steaming to the process. In Tokyo, the unagi is barbecued, steamed, then brushed with sauce mixture, and then flamed broiled again. The steaming step removes excess fat and adds softness and a delicate to the eel. Osaka Style, on the other hand, consists of grilling the unagi over the open flame, basting in sauce, and repeating until the unagi reaches the perfect level of crispy char goodness. This style results in a more robust, flavored, supposedly more “masculine” dish. I am sure both styles are probably available in Nagoya, but I have personally only seen the Osaka style used.
I favor the nagayaki style of eating unagi, where the whole eel is grilled and served as a steak with rice, Japanese pickles, and unagi liver soup, but Nagoya people generally favor the Hitsumabushi style; which is what we will be talking about today.
Hitsumabushi is kind of like an unagi donburi or eel rice bowl, but the way it is eaten is a bit different than a standard donburi meal. Unagi donburi is usually just widely sliced unagi pieces placed on a bed of rice. Add a crushed Japanese green peppercorn called sansho, a bit more sauce or dried seaweed, and eat. Unagi donburi is a great way to eat unagi, but Hitsumabushi takes that basic formula and adds a bit more.
Hitsumabushi is served in a large bowl of rice topped with more finely chopped unagi, with several other toppings and condiments. Generally, these will include green onions, dried seaweed, wasabi, grated leeks, and a container of dashi, or fish stock soup. In addition, the setting will consist of pickled vegetables, an empty bowl, and a rice scoop. The set will also include a soup; generally, the unagi liver soup mentioned earlier, but not always. Sometimes it is an extra, and if so, I highly recommend you spring for it.
There are four steps to eating hitsumabushi
- To begin with, scoop out a quarter of the unagi and rice into the empty bowl and eat it as is; without adding anything further. (it is OK to add some sansho here, that does not count!)
- After you finish this helping, take another, only this time; mix in half of the provided seasonings (the leek, wasabi, and nori).
- After you finish your second course, dish out the remaining unagi and rice (it is OK to leave some over to eat however you like here later; there are no unagi police, you know!) into the bowl, and add the remaining seasonings to it. Finally, for this ‘ochazuke’ course, pour the dashi provided in the small pitcher over the top and mix it in.
- If there is anything left over, you can eat it in whichever style you prefer. Technically, this is three steps with a clean-up fourth, but is it that important? Some people like to divide this into four steps for this exact purpose; adjust your portions accordingly if you want a Round Two on one of these steps!
Getting Hitsumabushi in Nagoya
There are, of course, many places around the city where you can find hitsumabushi. Here are a few that you might want to check out
Hōraiken
Hōraiken is far and away the most famous place for hitsumabushi in Nagoya. There is a branch next to the southern entrance of Atsuta-jingū. However, the main branch is only a couple of blocks further south, and the traditional mansion style with tatami rooms has a better atmosphere. Be aware that you cannot reserve a table; on peak days, you should expect to wait in the queue.
Where: 503 Gōdo, Atsuta-ku (map)
Website: www.houraiken.com
Hitsumabushi Inou
Want to have some great hitsumabushi without the faff of traveling around? Well, at Inou, you can do that while barely leaving Nagoya Station. Situated in the underground Esca shopping center (Shinkansen side), Inou has a sophisticated, modern atmosphere but has been around since 1991, so they know what they are doing. Their location means they are popular with people passing through Nagoya, and they are extremely accommodating to overseas customers, with English and Mandarin menus, to whom they claim to provide once-in-a-lifetime hospitality without pretension or long waiting times.
Where: Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Tsubakicho, 6 − 9 Esuka Chikagai (map)
Website: inou-hitsumabushi.com
Maruya Honten
On the 9th floor of the Meitetsu Building, Maruya Honten is careful with its selection, choosing only the fattiest of eels. When it comes to hitsumabushi, the fattier, the better. Not only that, but the blend of soy sauces in which the eels are grilled makes for a complex, rich flavor.
Where: Nakamura-Ku, Meieki 1-2-1, Meitesu Building 9th floor (map)
Website: www.maruya-honten.com
Bincho
As the name suggests, the eel at Hitsumabushi Bincho is grilled over the renowned, high-quality bincho charcoal, giving it its distinctive taste and locking in the juiciness of the tender fish. There are two branches next to Nagoya station, one in the high-rise Dai Nagoya Building and one in the Esca underground shopping complex, with the former being a little fancier.
Where: Dai Nagoya Building 3F, Kakueki 3-28-12, Nakamura-ku (map)
Website: hitsumabushi.co.jp
Shirakawa
Shirakawa is great for those who want to try hitsumabushi without breaking the bank. Usually, a pretty pricy dish (around 4,000 JPY per head in most places), Shirakawa’s portions are generally a little smaller elsewhere, meaning the price, 2450 JPY, is a little nicer. They even do a ‘mini hitsumabushi’ at only 1,720 JPY. But worry not. Though the price is low, the quality remains as high as the other places mentioned, and the restaurant is particularly well regarded for the dashi-tea they use in the ochazuke course.
Where: Sakae Gas Building B1, 3-15-33 Sakae, Naka-ku (map)
Website: hitsumabushi.jp
Unafuji
One thing about hitsumabushi that might be off-putting for many is the formality. It is something of a luxurious dish, and as such, many restaurants tend to up the pretentiousness stakes. If that concerns you, head to Unafuji near Tsurumai Park for a more simple, cozy atmosphere. But that does not mean that they skimp on the quality. Founder Mizuno-san started out working in eel production and distribution and went on to train at numerous top-quality hitsumabushi restaurants before opening Unafuji in 1995, becoming a roaring success. If anyone knows their eels, Mizuno-san does.
Where: 1 Chome-1-4 Shirakane, Showa Ward, Nagoya (map)
Website: sumiyaki-unafuji.com
Image: nekotank via flickr.com [CC BY-ND 2.0]
Image: bryan… via flickr.com [CC BY-ND 2.0]
Image: via https://hitsumabushi.co.jp/
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