Hitsumabushi in Nagoya

If you like unagi, then you’re going to love hitsumabushi. It’s a  specialty of Naogoya, which is considered one of the best food cities in Japan.

Unagi donburi refers to a beloved Japanese dish of grilled freshwater eel served over a bed of steamed rice. Hitsumabushi is similar to unagi donburi and in my opinion, a more interesting version of the dish.

The eel is cooked in the Nagoya-style of preparing eel, by slitting it open along the belly and grilling it whole without steaming. It’s also sliced in narrower strips to make it easier to eat.

Unlike unagi donburi which is pretty much just grilled eel over rice, hitsumabushi is served with a variety of condiments like wasabi, grated radish, nori, and Japanese pepper. You’re meant to eat the eel in three stages – the first on its own with rice, the second with the condiments mixed in, and the third with some dashi broth poured into your bowl.

It’s a unique and interesting way of having unagi which you can’t find just anywhere in Japan. If you like grilled eel, then you absolutely must try hitsumabushi in Nagoya.