Yana no unagi Kankouso in Matsumoto — Restaurant in Matsumoto

Visited on a Monday evening and arrived just a few minutes before opening. There’s plenty of parking outside, but the road leading in is quite narrow and tricky to navigate if you’re not an experienced driver. Upon arrival, take a queue number from the self-service machine and wait to be called via the speaker, luckily, we were number 3 and didn’t wait long.

We ordered the Hitsumabushi Shallot Oil Rice (2 pieces) for ¥3,380. It’s served in the traditional three-step way: first eat it as is, then mix with side dishes like pickles and condiments, and finally pour the savoury broth over it. The shallot oil was incredibly fragrant, reminded me of Kuching kolo mee with its nostalgic shallot aroma. A simple yet flavourful take on unagi. We also ordered the eel liver for around ¥1,400-ish, tender, and with a slight bitterness that paired well with the rice.

The staff were also very kind, they brought over a basket full of toys and let my child pick one, which was such a thoughtful and heartwarming gesture. Made the meal even more...

We wanted to eat Unagi so much that we picked this restaurant with good reviews. It is not strategically located and we relied on taxi to bring us here. It has a very traditional Japanese dining setting, the dinning table and chair are placed on tatami mat. Ordered a set each of the 2-pcs Yanamabushi set and 3-pcs Unaju set. Each set comes with soup, green veggie and a small dish of mushrooms. The delicious of kabayaki are grilled to perfection, it is basted in a savoury and not overpowering sweet sauce. The fillet is very soft and fluffy, pleasant on the-palate and without a fishy or earthy aftertaste. The highlight of the dinner is the grilled eel livers skewer, kimoyaki. It has a distinctive succulent texture and paired well with sake. The environment here is pleasant and staff is extremely friendly and courteous. The staff even assisted to call a taxi for us after the dinner. Two thumbs up to this...

Nestled in the historic town of Matsumoto, 'Yamanou Unagi Kankoso Matsumoto' warmly welcomes visitors with its traditional Japanese house ambiance. This restaurant offers the ultimate 'unagi experience,' engaging all five senses. The skilled chefs expertly charcoal-grill the eel, achieving a perfect balance of crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The melt-in-your-mouth smoothness, combined with the blissful flavor of their secret sauce passed down through generations, is truly exquisite. The tantalizing aroma stimulates your appetite, and the tranquil private rooms provide a relaxing setting. Here, you can enjoy exceptional hospitality that makes any special occasion truly memorable．

【My rating criteria】 ★★★★★ I definitely want to visit again. ★★★★ I want to visit again. ★★★ Average ★★ I don't really want to visit again. ★ I never want to...