Hitsumabushi (櫃まぶし、ひつまぶし) is the local specialty of Nagoya and surroundings. It is grilled eel (うなぎ) on top of rice in a wooden box called "Hitsu" (櫃、ひつ). Grilled eel is referred as Kaba-yaki (かば焼, a style of grill with sweet sauce) and it can be often seen in other parts of Japan.
What is unique of Hitsumabushi is the way of having it after served. A smaller rice bowl is provided with the wooden container Hitsu and spices on a small plate. It is able to be enjoyed from the bowl by 3 different ways.
The first serving
Simply just eel and rice mixed.
The sweet sauce enhances the harmony
and it is enough good to complete the dish though...
The second serving,
from here it is different from ordinary eel with rice dish...
eel + rice + spice, here wasabi (わさび)
Again the sweet sauce creates a good match with hot fresh wasabi paste.
This is also far enough good to complete.
But we can try another way of enjoying it.
The third serving
eel + rice + spice, here wasabi (わさび)
+ hot water (could be Japanese bouillon at some restaurants)
= Ochazuke (お茶漬け) style
When it becomes like nice Japanese risotto, it is really easy to finish all!
Wasabiya provides not only typical Hitsumabushi with eel but also other versions of Hitsumabushi such as chiken and sea bream (鯛) instead of eel.
It is known that Hirumabushi was originally created by a Japanese restaurant called Atsuta Horaiken (あつた蓬莱軒), close to Atsuta shrine in Nagoya-city.
Related story:
Unagi(うなぎ、鰻） eel - Matsukawa
http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2008/07/unagi-eel---mat.html
Ochazuke (お茶漬け) - En (えん)
Restaurant name: Wasabiya
Address: 4th floor, 1-13-3 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku Tokyo
English website: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g658000/lang/en/
Restaurant name: Atsuta Horaiken
Address: 503 Goudocho, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya-city, Aichi
Website: http://www.houraiken.com
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