Blessed with diverse natural features, including Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, and Suruga Bay, the deepest bay in Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture is often referred to as the “kingdom of food” that produces a variety of high-quality agricultural, forestry, and fishery products!
Eel (unagi) in particular is one of the most popular gourmet foods in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Here, we will introduce our recommended eel specialty restaurants in Mishima City and Yoshida Town, a “battleground” area in Shizuoka Prefecture where many famous eel restaurants are located!
In Mishima City, the abundant and clear spring water from Mt. Fuji flows through the waterways, and by letting the eels bathe in this water for four to five days, the fishy and muddy smell can be eliminated, and in Yoshida Town, there has been a long history of eel farming since the Taisho Era using the cold spring water of the Oi River… We hope you will try the eel dishes that you can only experience here at these famous restaurants, each of which has its own unique character.
○Mishima City
Unagi no Bando
Unagi no Bando is a one-minute walk from the south exit of Mishima Station (north side of Rakujuen). Here, the high-grade domestic eels, purified with water from the Mt. Fuji water system, are grilled to a savory perfection. The restaurant is a calm Japanese-style space where you can enjoy eel dishes in a relaxed atmosphere.
For more information, click here.
Unagi Sakuraya
At Sakuraya, the chefs begin preparing their dishes by pouring underground water, which is melted snow water from Fuji, over the eel for several days to make their meat firm. the traditional taste is preserved by using their tongue and hands as a guide. The eel is split open in the morning, grilled over Binchotan charcoal, and finished by dipping it into the family’s secret sauce.
For more information, click here.
Suminobo (Honcho)
Suminobo has two restaurants in Mishima City, the flagship restaurants and the Mishima Taisha-mae (三嶋大社前) restaurant. They are extremely particular about the quality of “water” produced by the natural conditions of Mishima, which is located at the foot of Mt. Fuji, and have pursued methods to bring out the best flavor from their eels. The meat is tender and free of the distinct eel smell, made possible by the nature of Mishima. The kabayaki unagi, which is finished with a crispy grilled surface, is an exquisite dish. We hope you will try eating eel from Mishima, which takes advantage of the spring water flowing from Mt. Fuji to tighten up the meat.
For more information, click here.https://www.suminobo.jp/
○Shimizu Town
Unashige
A variety of dishes are offered depending on the season, including the “unadon” (rice bowl topped with sliced grilled eel), “unaju” (rice topped with sliced grilled eel in a lacquer box), “mabushi-don” (rice topped with small, chopped eel served in a donburi bowl), sakura-ebi karaage (deep-fried sakura shrimp), and the “Suruga-don,” a combination of kamaage shirasu (boiled whitebait) and eel.
Dishes other than eel, such as sashimi and karaage, can be enjoyed as part of a course or as a single dish.
For more information, click here.
○Yoshida Town
Unagi Yagihide
The eels are carefully grilled over charcoal and served only after receiving your order, which includes dishes such as unaju (rice topped with sliced grilled eel in a lacquer box), unagi teishoku (set meal of unagi), sashimi teishoku (set meal of sashimi), kimoyaki (grilled skewer of unagi liver), shirayaki unagi (grilled eel without the sauce), kabayaki unagi (grilled eel dipped in sauce), and unagi bento (eel boxed lunch).
Right in front of the restaurant is the Koyama Castle Observation Deck, a famous sightseeing spot in Yoshida Town, and it is an area that allows you to enjoy the charms of Yoshida as well as the delicious taste of eel.
For more information, click here.
Shizuoka Eel Fisheries Cooperative Association, Yoshida Kiosk (*take-out only)
Shirayaki, kabayaki, eel lunch boxes, etc. are sold here.
The eels are soaked in groundwater for a full day and night to remove the smell and tighten the meat, and are prepared at the Shizuoka Eel Fisheries Cooperative Association’s directly-managed processing plant.