Nozakiya

Lift the lid on the unatenju at Nozakiya in Yahiro, Sumida, and you’ll find tender grilled eel alongside fragrant tempura—a satisfying combination that feels distinctive to this restaurant. The box brings together soft kabayaki eel, shrimp tempura and seasonal vegetable tempura, served over rice dressed with sauce. The contrast in textures is part of the pleasure. The eel sauce is relatively light, with restrained sweetness, and the meal stays clean-tasting alongside the liver soup and pickles served with it.

For a more straightforward taste of eel, the classic unaju comes in a range of sizes named Kiku, Ume, Take, Matsu and Tsuru. The lunch menu also includes unadon with half a portion of eel, an affordable option, and unatama-don, eel topped with egg. The kabayaki is grilled after you order; some diners recommend booking a time in advance. Reservations are accepted.

There is more than eel on offer: the lunch menu also features fried dishes and rice bowls. Options include a bowl topped generously with tempura made from Daisen chicken, anago (conger eel) tempura don and a tempura set meal. The atmosphere has the easy-going energy of a neighbourhood diner. The calm interior makes it comfortable to drop in alone, and takeaway and PayPay payments are available. It’s a handy choice for an unfussy Japanese meal in Yahiro’s residential streets.