Eel Restaurant Kusukawa

[Enter the store and enjoy freshly made food with a panoramic view of the moat]

There is a large camphor tree in front of the shop. The owner named the shop “Kusunokawa” because there is a canal behind the building. It is difficult to see from the front of the shop, but when you enter the shop, you can see the canal through the large glass window. This canal is a place where many boats go down the river, and during the “Yanagawa Hina Matsuri Sagemon Meguri”, boats carrying children dressed in gorgeous kimonos like Hina dolls pass by here. Perhaps because it is already known as a hidden spot where you can enjoy the canal scenery up close, most of the customers are tourists. They are often small groups of family or friends. The relaxing tables and chairs in the shop are custom-made by “Kobo Egashira” in Okawa City, next to Yanagawa City. “These chairs and tables are unique, so I wanted people to feel rich when they sit here, so I added them one by one,” he said, exuding a warm hospitality.

The most popular dish is the “Unagi Seiromushi” (eel steamed in a bamboo steamer). They use domestically produced eels from Miyazaki and Kagoshima. This restaurant believes in serving freshly made eels on the spot. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there are fewer opportunities to try the restaurant’s eel dishes, which is a shame. Looking at the neatly arranged steamed eels in the vibrant vermilion lacquered container, I feel refreshed. I also enjoyed the eel liver soup garnished with yuzu and mitsuba. Another recommended dish is the “Yanagawa Nabe” (a hotpot made with loach). As the small bones have been removed, it is popular with people who don’t like eating fish, and there seems to be an increase in orders from female customers.

Apparently there are regulars who come all the way from as far away as Kagoshima and Nagasaki just to enjoy the restaurant’s location and flavors. I hope the time to enjoy the flavors of Yanagawa while watching the boats passing by in the canal returns soon.