Unagi (eel) as a summer feature in Japan

As one of our previous posts, unagi (うなぎ, eel) is one of summer icons in Japan. It is believed among Japanese that unagi as food energizes us much. On the beginning of Summer season, to take eel is an important event to prepare for Japan's hot and humid summer. 

However in this year, the price of eel is shaking the Japaneses' tradition. Since last summer, the price of eel has risen up to more than double of the price range in 2008-2010. (Check the trend of eel price. Click here.) Narurally restaurants and supermarkets are foced to increase the price of the fishery products. The sky-high deal price of eel is considered due to bad catches of young eel not only in Japan area but also in China and Taiwan, two biggest alternative eel fishing places.

Some of Unagi specialized restaurants started offering alternative menu such as similar species, conger (anago, 穴子) or pork grilled with sweet sauce originally made for unagi, while increasing their prices for unagi menu by around 20 - 40% or offering smaller pieces of unagi. Finally at traditional Unagi restaurants, the most typical unagi menu "Una-ju" (Unagi with rice on a square box) is at around Yen 2500 - Yen 4000. 

Now unagi is very luxury product like fois gras or truffle. 

Any way we can enjoy it at reasonable price? 

Then we have a way to go to the most famous beef-bowl first food chain "Yoshinoya" (吉野家).

This summer, Yoshinoya offers Una-don (鰻丼, unagi on rice bowl) at just Yen 650 for regular size. The piece of Unagi is not so large to cover the rice but the reasonable price allows us to have the eel menu more than once 

 

 
Una-don at Yoshinoya

Small piece? but

it is still soft and enough rick taste eel.

The price must be enough for those who have never tried eel in your country and who is wondering if it is good taste or not. We are sure it is worth trying once in Japan. It is a food that Japanese can never miss it. 

 

Official site of Yoshinoya (吉野家): http://www.yoshinoya.com/

 

Related stories about unagi:

Unagi(うなぎ、鰻） eel - Matsukawa

  http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/07/unagi-eel---mat.html

 

Hitsumabutshi, Wasabiya (櫃まぶし, わさび家) - Shinjuku (新宿)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/11/hitsumabutshi-wasabiya-%E6%AB%83%E3%81%BE%E3%81%B6%E3%81%97-%E3%82%8F%E3%81%95%E3%81%B3%E5%AE%B6-shinjuku-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF.html

 

Ochazuke (お茶漬け) - En (えん)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/02/ochazuke-%E3%81%8A%E8%8C%B6%E6%BC%AC%E3%81%91-en-%E3%81%88%E3%82%93.html

 

Daily Yomiuri Online: Price of eel increasing due to bad catches

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20120322dy02.htm