Unagi in Ise | Kanto vs. Kansai Style & Ise Mabushi | Unagi Kitaya
Ise is an unagi town. A record from 1842 — the "Ise Unagi Kotohajime" — marks the year eel took root here. Some forty unagi restaurants dot the Ise-Shima area, and locals are said to each have their own favorite.
Five things to know before your first unagi in Ise.
Ise and unagi go back a long way
Mie Prefecture has eaten unagi for generations. Facing both sea and mountains, eel was easy to come by here, and farming flourished in the Meiji era. The city of Tsu, in the same prefecture, is known for its eel consumption.
About forty unagi restaurants dot the Ise-Shima area. For local people, unagi is both a treat and an everyday comfort — the Ise City Tourism Association notes that locals each keep a favorite "my unagi-ya" of their own.
It began with a story of filial devotion
The starting point is 1842 (Tenpo 13). A young man who sold eel to care for his parents was rewarded by the magistrate of Yamada — a true account recorded in the History of Ujiyamada City, known as the "Ise Unagi Kotohajime." The tale lives on before the gates of Geku as the story of the Filial Eel.
To eat unagi in Ise is to join a story of hospitality and devotion that has continued here for more than 180 years.
Kanto style, Kansai style — and the Ise way
There are two broad schools of unagi. Kanto style splits the eel along the back, grills it plain, then steams it before the final grilling — soft and pillowy. Kansai style splits along the belly and grills over direct fire without steaming ("jiyaki") — fragrant, with more bite.
And then there is the way of this house. Since our founding, Kitaya has kept to hashi-yaki: no metal skewers, only long chopsticks, turning each eel one by one to keep its fat at just the right measure. With nothing pinning the flesh, the skin crisps and the meat stays plump.
The rice has its own local custom, too: Ise Mabushi, in which the rice is first coated with our secret tare sauce and the eel laid on top. Unlike Nagoya's hitsumabushi, no broth is poured over it.
Prices, and how to time your visit
At unagi restaurants in Ise, bowls and boxes generally run from around ¥2,000 up to about ¥8,000 for top courses. At Kitaya, the range is ¥1,650 (children's Mini) to ¥8,250 (eel kaiseki "Miyabi"), tax included.
Two tips. First, the Geku area is busiest around noon and on weekends and holidays; the smoothest times are the 11 o'clock hour right after opening, or after 2 p.m. Second, unagi houses keep short hours — dine-in at Kitaya is 11:00–15:30 (last order 15:00), and we may close early once the day's eel runs out. An early lunch is the safest plan.
Please note: Kitaya takes no seat reservations — guests are seated in order of arrival. Takeout can be ordered ahead by phone.
Three common misunderstandings
"Isn't Ise all about Ise-ebi lobster?"
The lobster is famous, yes. But as the 1842 record shows, unagi is just as deeply rooted in Ise's food culture.
"Isn't unagi only for midsummer (the Day of the Ox)?"
That custom spread in the Edo period, but unagi is enjoyed year-round — a fine way to mark a pilgrimage in any season.
"Don't you pour broth over the rice?"
That is Nagoya's hitsumabushi. Ise Mabushi is eaten as it is, the tare soaked into every grain of rice. The differences between regions are part of the pleasure.
Sources: Ise City Tourism Association ("Local favorites: unagi in Ise"; "Kōkō Unagi — how eel came to Ise") / History of Ujiyamada City (the 1842 record).
Last updated: September 13, 2026