Fujitaya Anagomeshi (Conger Eel) — Restaurant in Hatsukaichi

Note: this place has an English menu but there is only one item on the menu.

We practically dashed off the boat when it arrived at Miyajima Island to Fujitaya. I walked as fast as I could while weaving through the crowds and almost leaving my YEA behind. I pushed the limits of what would have produced faces of disapproval in the eyes of the locals but it was all for one singular mission of eating at the Michelin-starred Fujitaya.

Thanks to a recommendation by my friend who was on his honeymoon and just had one great experience there!

My sprint to the restaurant paid off as we were able to put our names down on the reservation list for 10th overall, 1st foreigner on the list. This was about 45 minutes before the restaurant opened at 11AM. 15 minutes afterward, there was a HUGE rush of people jostling to get their names on the reservation list too and the list had swelled to 50+.

Fujitaya is a traditional Japanese restaurant located on Miyajima Island who reputation is well-known for their delicious anago (saltwater eel) meshi. It was awarded a Michelin star and the thing about this restaurant is that all the anago that is served each day comes in fresh from the morning’s catch. If they run out during the day and you are still on the list then you are SOL.

That’s why it is worth it to hot foot it to this restaurant if you want to taste some incredible anago meshi. It’s also all they serve here and all the better for it.

The front of the restaurant is very traditional with tables on tatami mats and you have to get comfy sitting cross-legged. There is another dining room through another walkway but we couldn’t really see how big that room looked. My knees were definitely not happy that I was sitting cross-legged for that long.

We shared a table with this lovely couple who were taking a day trip from Osaka to the island. We had an enjoyable little conversation with the limited English they knew but we did find out that they had a daughter who is currently studying in Toronto at U of T.

The pace of service here is not fast because each meal is made with the utmost care. it takes about 30 minutes to make one bowl of anago meshi and it’s absolutely worth the wait.

I opted to have the anago eel livers which were so fresh and tasty. The livers had a very good texture and that deep irony flavour from the lightly pickled livers. There were micro-julienned pieces of ginger that helped to cleanse the pallet afterwards.

So when our anago meshi finally came to the table, we were ready to tuck in. All the smells from other people who had gotten their food had permeated throughout the room. It was a good 45 minutes until we were served but I don’t blame them because they were very upfront about it. Would you wait that long for Michelin-starred food? HECK YA!

When you open the cover, you just see anago eel covered the entire bowl that has been cooked to perfection on the grill. Underneath is a bed of rice which has soaked in the juices of the anago and the light sweet soaked that has been brushed over top. The smell is very intoxicating and seducing.

The anago is known for it’s soft texture and natural sweetness. The flavours are more muted than the unagi which has stronger flavour profile. Every bite of anago was so delicious that it felt very fluffy but also had a meaty texture. The room was silent of conversation but you could hear the low-key “mmm’s”, “oh my’s”, and “this is so delicious” from the room.

They also provided this amazingly light and flavourful soup which was with a fresh scallop sitting in the clear broth. It was the perfect complement to the meal.

If I ever get a chance to come back here, I’m going to run even faster to get my name on the...

The Food I like eel quite a bit. But in Japan there's a difference between fresh water eel (unagi) and saltwater eel (anago). Anagomeshi Fujitaya, as the name suggests, specialized in anago. A friend recommended this restaurant, and it seemed to be a popular place. We all ordered the Anagameshi as well as Anago Liver, and side dishes to share. The Anago Liver was interesting, it served raw, with a bit of saltiness. Not sure if it is the liver itself or added seasoning. The Anagameshi was good as well, but the anago was a bit dry compared to unagi. It would be nice if there were some sauce to go along with it. But the rice was good and went well with the anago. I also found out from my friend that Hiroshima is well known for their rice. They had a limited menu during my visit, but I want to return to see what else they have.

The Miscellaneous The restaurant is near the Itsukushima Shrine area in the more residential part? There are usually very long lines, so the recommendation is to go early to put your name down before they open. There is a resting area next to the restaurant for waiting customers. The interior has a traditional Japanese house feel to it. The seating is chabudai style with tatami and cushions, but there are normal seating too. The staff were sincere and wait time for the food was not bad, considering a full house. The menu is simple and straightforward, because they focus on one type of dish. But the quality is there, and worth the try if you are...

I've read that this place is the place to go for anago and I was not disappointed. When we got here, we were able to put our name on the waiting list and waited in an area that was sectioned off for people waiting for tables. We didn't wait long to get called in. There's a high possibility that you will have to share a table with someone as they like to fill every seating available at the restaurant. They have mostly traditional style tables where you sit on the floor. They also have regular tables with chairs but that was a longer wait so we opted for the floor. The menu is set with no changes but you can order alcohol. The food takes awhile to come out and if you're not use to sitting on the floor (like my boyfriend) it will be uncomfortable for you. I'm glad he put up with it because the anago with the steamed rice was PERFECT. If you like eel, I highly recommend. It's only worth it though if you're staying in miyajima for a few days as the wait will take up a portion of your day if you're taking a day trip. Going towards the end of the day will be your best bet. At least the wait outside wasn't long and we got seated. The wait inside will be awhile for your...