A note on the words: unagi is freshwater eel, split, skewered, steamed and grilled, and unaju is the version laid over rice in a lacquered box. Tare is the sweet soy glaze brushed on during grilling. Kimo-wasa is the eel’s liver, boiled and served with wasabi and soy; kimosui is a clear soup with the liver in it; hone senbei are the bones fried into crackers. Oshinko means the pickles served alongside. Yotsugi is a working-class neighborhood in the northeast of Tokyo, well away from the center. Prices are as of this writing (August 2026).
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Unagi Uomasa on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Well then, this is Hangover Meshi!! This time: Uomasa, after a long gap!!!! When was the last time I came, I wonder. I kept meaning to book and somehow never managed it. Yotsugi is a little far, which does not help. Back at last! The price of eel has gone up somewhat, but the rating is as high as ever and there is a great deal to look forward to.
The feel of the place and the way it stands have not changed at all. I can hardly wait.
Wild eel (small to extra-large) 15,000–30,000 yen
Domestic branded eel (extra-large) 11,000–15,000 yen
I have a feeling there used to be something like a set course.
This time I decided to go with eel and nothing else. Wild or domestic branded — I dithered and dithered. I did want the extra-large, but on reflection I am not quite at the level to eat the thirty-thousand-yen wild one, so I chose the domestic branded eel! Save the best for last! Next time I shall try the wild^^
Right, seated, and first a beer!
The beer is Heartland lol Stylish^^
Kimo-wasa, and hone senbei.
The hone senbei has a crisp, crunchy texture, and the scent of eel comes drifting up through it, which is a fine thing lol
As a beer snack it is unbeatable. And with it, the kimo-wasa: boiled liver with fragrant wasabi and soy. The firm texture of the liver and the sharp hit of the wasabi go beautifully with a drink! It makes you want shochu^^
And after a while, the oshinko and the soup bowl.
Kimosui! A lovely scent. And the unaju arrives too!!! The smell is escaping already lol lol Wonderful!
A wide box. It feels a size larger than at most places.
And… open!
Whoaaa! Extra-large indeed.
This time the eel is Bando Taro, a branded eel. A farmed eel raised with all sorts of refinements to bring it as close as possible to a wild one.
And it is very large. A good, large eel raised slowly and carefully, apparently.
Eel covering the rice completely. This is it, this is the thing!
Grilled toasty and fragrant. Straight away, a mouthful of the eel alone with nothing on it. Put the chopsticks in and it comes apart softly. And it is remarkably thick. Splendid. Thick as it is, it melts the moment it is in your mouth. Wonderful.
The scent of the eel itself is refined and full of depth.
The tare is applied just right and the char on the surface is beautifully toasty. An eel with a very strong sense of melting softness.
It goes perfectly with the rice underneath. I thought it a superbly finished unaju.
Uomasa’s eel really is delicious. Thoroughly satisfied!
Uomasa after a long gap, and thoroughly satisfying! It is not somewhere I can come often, but I really must come regularly and eat good eel properly. It is going to get hot soon, so I shall book again for the winter. I hope I can eat the wild eel then. Booking through TableCheck is easy, so it comes highly recommended!!!
Unagi Uomasa (unagi / Yotsugi Station, Yahiro Station)
Tabelog dinner rating ★★★★★ 5.0
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
