Unagi Kappo Ooedo

First founded in Kuramae in 1800 by Kichibei Sokaya, Unagi Kappo Ooedo is one of Tokyo's pioneers in the craft of preparing eel. The restaurant moved to Nihonbashi in 1946, where its crimson facade has remained a familiar landmark ever since. And just as famous as its traditional storefront is its secret sauce, which keeps loyal customers coming back for more. While the ingredients are simple—a standard mixture of mirin, soy sauce and sugar—the proportions are a closely-guarded secret, resulting in the perfect ratio of sweetness and spiciness. To marinate, the chefs immerse the eel entirely in the jar of sauce, letting it penetrate fully into each piece. Similar to the concept of a perpetual stew—a constantly-boiling stew that simply has ingredients added to it over time—this action gradually enhances the sauce in the jar, little by little. As each piece of eel dipped inside contributes to the flavor, the latest eel immersed is guaranteed to be the most flavorful. This unorthodox method of marination, combined with exclusive use of sticky Yamagata Prefecture-grown Yumegokochi rice, results in each bite being an unforgettable mixture of textures and flavors.