Eel Harada

[Freshly steamed in a bamboo steamer]

The current owner is the fifth generation owner, and the restaurant is said to have been established 200 years ago. At the time, the restaurant was located on the banks of the Yabe River, and was established as a restaurant that cooked and served eels and loaches caught in the river. The fourth generation owner has been in the restaurant at its current location, and has been serving grilled eels and steamed eels.

They only use domestically-produced eels, and are particular about serving them freshly grilled. “Eels taste best when they’re freshly grilled. I want our customers to enjoy them freshly grilled,” says the owner, whose unique bamboo steamer dish is made by shallowly steaming the eels to preserve the aroma of the freshly grilled eel. Apparently, many customers come all the way from outside the prefecture, such as from Kitakyushu and Kumamoto, in search of this unique taste. “Recently, thanks to customers spreading the word about our dishes on social media, more and more people are making the effort to come to our restaurant,” he says. The most popular dish is the “Premium Bamboo Steamer.”

Upon entering, you will be greeted by a decorative plaque that reads, “Gods of Fortune for all who come.” The interior of the restaurant is furnished with folk art furniture and accessories, and the seats are spaced apart and well-cleaned, giving it a very clean feel. Not only is the food delicious, but the owner’s wife, with her lovely smile, and the brisk work of the owner who runs the restaurant will give you a lot of energy.