Kawagoe Ichinoya

Kawagoe Ichinoya is one of the oldest unagi (freshwater eel) restaurants in the Kurazukuri warehouse district of Kawagoe, Saitama, with a lineage traced back to 1832. The kitchen follows the Kanto style of eel preparation: the fish is butterflied from the back, steamed to render excess fat, then finished over binchotan charcoal with a repeatedly basted tare sauce, giving the kabayaki a soft, custard-like interior beneath a lightly charred skin. The signature dish is unaju, grilled eel laid over vinegared rice in a lacquered box, available in tiered sizes; shirayaki, the unseasoned grilled eel served with wasabi and salt, is offered for those who want to taste the fish without the sweet glaze, and kimo-yaki (grilled eel liver skewers) rounds out the menu for regulars. The dining room occupies a traditional wooden building along Kawagoe's historic warehouse street, with low tables, tatami seating in back rooms, and a quiet, old-town atmosphere that draws both local families marking special occasions and visitors touring the Kurazukuri district known as Koedo, or 'Little Edo'. There is no formal dress code. Because eel prices fluctuate with wild-catch availability, the kitchen sources farmed unagi and adjusts portions accordingly, and the restaurant closes irregularly, so calling ahead is worthwhile. Weekend lunch service draws queues, particularly during the Kawagoe Festival season and summer's Doyo no Ushi no Hi eel-eating custom, when reservations are strongly recommended and should be made several days in advance by phone.