Best-of Guides Tokyo

Where to Taste Tokyo’s Legendary Freshwater Eel

9 Restaurants

Discover Tokyo’s unagi culture, from artisan skills and Edo-style grilling to restaurants where tradition and creativity meet.

Tokyo by The MICHELIN Guide

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Updated on 11 September 2025

Beloved by Edo folk, the seasonal tradition of eating unagi, or freshwater eel, in summer has long been seen as a nutritious way to beat the heat. The preparation takes such skillful technique that it is said to take “three years to perfect skewering, eight years for filleting and a lifetime to master grilling.” In the Edo style, chefs cut the eel open along the back and steam it for a soft, fluffy texture, and then grill it carefully, adjusting the flames to subtly alter the flavor. Tokyo boasts numerous noted unagi restaurants, ranging from the traditional to the innovative. Here, you can savor pure Edo food culture at its finest.

Yaesu Unagi Hashimoto

1-5-10 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, 103-0028 Tokyo

¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

Modern Japanese architecture centres around a main counter where diners can watch the entire cutting, steaming and grilling process. And, with the grilling station right in front of them, the enticing aroma drifts straight to their seats.

Unagi Tokito

2F, 2-5-11 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, 106-0045 Tokyo

¥¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

Near Azabu-Juban shopping street, filled with shops both old and new, Unagi Tokito presents inventive ways to enjoy eel. The set meal highlights creative preparations, such as unagi hamburger and salad, along with the classic unaju of eel over rice.

Hashimoto

2-5-7 Suido, Bunkyo-ku, 112-0005 Tokyo

¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

A traditional restaurant with a long history dating back to the Edo period (1603–1867). The aroma of kabayaki (unagi grilled with sauce) drifts around the northern end of the Ishikiri Bridge over the Kanda River. The classic Edo-style unagi is glazed with a sauce that has been passed down from the restaurant’s founder.

Nodaiwa Azabu Iikura Honten

1-5-4 Higashiazabu, Minato-ku, 106-0044 Tokyo

¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

Along with classic unagi cuisine, this restaurant also offers creative dishes such as unagi with caviar. The eel is cooked to perfection without a hint of charring, a true testament to the chef’s mastery of his craft.

Watabe

1-9-14 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, 112-0002 Tokyo

¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

One highlight here is Enma-ju, named after nearby Genkaku-ji Temple, also known as Konnyaku Enma. The dish features unagi prepared both with sauce and without, presented side by side.

Ginza Yondaime TAKAHASHIYA

4F, 4-12-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, 104-0061 Tokyo

¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

Located near the Kabukiza Theatre, Ginza Yondaime TAKAHASHIYA serves Kanto-style unagi that is cut, steamed and grilled to fluffy perfection amid modern Japanese-style interiors.

Hatsuogawa

2-8-4 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, 111-0034 Tokyo

¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

Close to Asakusa’s famous Kaminarimon Gate, Hatsuogawa is operated by the proprietress and her sons. Dishes are prepared with traditional techniques that take time, resulting in flavors that reflect careful craftsmanship.

Mejiro Zorome

B1F, 3-3-1 Mejiro, Toshima-ku, 171-0031 Tokyo

¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

Just outside Mejiro Station, Mejiro Zorome invites guests to watch unagi being prepared from the counter seats. The menu also offers a rich selection of unagi side dishes, such as grilled eel with vinegared cucumber and grilled eel liver.

Ishibashi

2-4-29 Suido, Bunkyo-ku, 112-0005 Tokyo

¥¥¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel

An old-fashioned house beside the Kanda River, Ishibashi is a traditional family business run by a succession of married couples. Pickles here are made using a century-old pickling bed that has been passed down through the family.

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Copyright from top to bottom: Yaesu Unagi Hashimoto, Yaesu Unagi Hashimoto, Unagi Tokito, Michelin, Michelin, Hashimoto, Michelin, Michelin, unawatabe/Watabe, unawatabe/Watabe, Ginza Yondaime TAKAHASHIYA, Ginza Yondaime TAKAHASHIYA, Michelin, Michelin, Michelin, Michelin, Michelin, Michelin