Fish

Japanese Eel

A tier

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), unagi, is the iconic grilled eel of Japanese cuisine—filleted, butterflied, grilled with sweet soy tare, and served over rice as unadon or unaju. Flesh is fatty, tender, and deeply savoury after basting. Kabayaki and shirayaki styles dominate. Farmed unagi supplies most restaurants; wild stocks are stressed. Heat through fully; traditional preparation is cooked, not raw. The caramelised sauce and soft bone-tender texture define the experience—seek reputable unagi specialists for quality.