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Feature 2: Unagi · GUIDE 01

Where to eat unagi in Japan: choose Asakusa, Narita or Mishima to suit your trip

Region
Asakusa / Narita City/Naritasan / Mishima
Food
Eel
Travel plans
A meal in Japan / Half-day walks / Local train stopovers / Mount Fuji views

When you open the lid of the box, you will find eel covered in sauce on top of rice kabayaki. If you want to make your meal in Japan a little more special, why not add eel to your itinerary?

A list of famous restaurants alone will not tell you which one fits your trip. Are you travelling from the airport to your hotel, spending a relaxed day in Asakusa, or returning from a visit to Mount Fuji? Instead of ranking restaurants, this guide starts with where a meal fits comfortably into your itinerary.

A culinary image that combines unaju and a temple-like cityscape
Add unaju to the fun of your trip. Illustration. The food, interiors, views and arrangement of buildings are imagined and do not reproduce a real restaurant or place.

First, decide how much time you can use for meals.

If it's your first time eating eel, consider the travel and meal times before choosing a restaurant. Service times, queues, and reservation mechanisms after ordering vary depending on the store. For example, Kawatoyo main restaurant is not a reservation for a small number of seats, but a guide based on the order of arrival. On the other hand, you can make a reservation for Komagata Maekawa by phone or from the reservation site provided. In either case, you can't just assume that you should be able to make a reservation because it's a popular restaurant.12

The important thing in this guide is not to rush your trip just to eat eel. It is also a good plan to choose a different meal on days when you are busy with the next train or reservations, and enjoy eel on days when you have free time.

Asakusa: Visit and eat in one half day

If you want to combine your stay in Tokyo with walking around the city, consider Asakusa. Sensoji Temple, shopping street, and Sumida Riverside are all introduced as ways to enjoy the same area. This is an easy place to decide what to do before or after your meal.3

Possible stores include "Komagata Maekawa Asakusa main restaurant" in Komagata and "Asakusa Unatetsu Asakusa Station main restaurant" in Hanakawado. Maekawa can be considered as a way to enjoy a meal by the river, and Unatetsu can be considered as a way to enjoy hitsumabushi in addition to unaju. This is a selection method based on official location and cuisine information, not based on actual taste.2456

To plan your walk, read the half-day guide to Asakusa. To compare dishes and reservations, see the Asakusa unagi restaurant guide.

Monzen town style townscape and unaju food image
Enjoy a leisurely meal while walking around town. Illustration. The food, interiors, views and arrangement of buildings are imagined and do not reproduce a real restaurant or place.

Narita: Choosing not to go directly from the airport to Tokyo

If you want to stop by Narita before heading to Tokyo, Kawatoyo main restaurant, located near Omotesando on Naritasan, is a good option. The store is located within walking distance from JR Narita Station and Keisei Narita Station. Since there are different routes for accessing Keisei's airport, it is important to choose the route that passes through "Keisei Narita" when traveling to Narita.78

Even in cities close to the airport, the time when immigration procedures and baggage collection end differs depending on the trip. If you're tired from a long-haul flight, arrive late in the evening, or need to get to your hotel early, leave the option of not taking a detour.

Allow time to explore the temple approach as well as to eat in Narita. The Narita stopover guide explains the route and how ordering works.

A travel image that combines unaju with the scenery of Mt. Fuji and the railway
Pair your eel meal with a trip to see Mt. Fuji. Illustration. The food, interiors, views and arrangement of buildings are imagined and do not reproduce a real restaurant or place.

Mishima: On the day we saw Mt. Fuji, for a meal on the way home.

Sakuraya is an unagi option in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. Mishima Skywalk, reached by bus from Mishima Station, offers a sightseeing option with Mount Fuji views when the weather is clear. Consider taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Mishima and returning by local trains via Atami.9101112

The focus here is on seeing Mount Fuji and enjoying one meal. Avoid trying to fit every Shizuoka speciality into a single day, and leave enough time for the journey home. See the Mishima and Mount Fuji day-trip guide for a plan combining Mishima Skywalk with a meal.

When ordering, check the name of the dish before checking the restaurant name.

unaju, unadon, kabayaki, shirayaki, hitsumabushi. The dishes available vary depending on the store. In particular, kabayaki may sell both meals that come with rice and other items at the same store. Maekawa's official menu also has both categories. Don't make a decision based on the photo alone; it's a good idea to ask whether rice is included.2Say it in Japaneseご飯は付いていますか

Menu grades such as jo and tokujo do not mean the same thing at every restaurant. Decide whether you want to compare portion sizes or the dishes included, then check the menu. The first-time unaju ordering guide explains the different dish names.

When in doubt, start from a place you can go to without changing your trip.

If you are planning to go to Asakusa, go to Asakusa. If you have enough time after arriving at Narita, go to Narita. If you want to spend the day looking at Mt. Fuji from the Shizuoka side, visit Mishima. You don't necessarily have to go to another city to choose one.

You can still make time to enjoy a Japanese meal before heading to Kyoto or Mt. Fuji. First, find a time in your calendar where you can eat without rushing. From there, choose the eel restaurant that suits you best.

Check the source/official information (12 items)

  1. Kawatoyo main restaurant "Kawatoyo main restaurant: Frequently Asked Questions". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  2. Komagata Maekawa "Komagata Maekawa: Asakusa main store". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  3. Tokyo Metropolitan Government/Tokyo Tourism Foundation GO TOKYO "Asakusa Area Guide". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  4. Komagata Maekawa "Komagata Maekawa: Access". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  5. Asakusa Unatetsu "Asakusa Unatetsu: Store Information". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  6. Asakusa Unatetsu "Asakusa Unatetsu: Menu". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  7. Kawatoyo main restaurant "Kawatoyo main restaurant: Transportation access". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  8. Keisei Electric Railway "Keisei Line Route Map". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  9. Eel Sakuraya "Eel Sakuraya: Store Information". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  10. Mishima Skywalk "Mishima Skywalk". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  11. Mishima Skywalk "Mishima Skywalk: Access". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

  12. Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tokai) "JR Tokai: Route Map/Station Numbering". Check official information . Online confirmation: September 28, 2026.↩

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