Hitsumabushi (Nagoya Style Grilled Eel/Unagi)

Name: Hitsumabushi (Nagoya Style Grilled Eel/Unagi)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 3 tbsp turbinado sugar (light brown with coarse texture); 1 tsp dark brown sugar (muscovado or similar); 5 tbsp sake; 5 tbsp mirin; 5 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu); 300 g filleted freshwater eels (or conger eels/cat fish); 2 tbsp sake; 300 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice (cook it a touch firm so it holds up under the dashi pour); 1 pinch Japanese sansho pepper (optional but recommended); 2 tsp unagi sauce (to mix with rice (1tsp per bowl)); 300 ml dashi stock (for ochazuke); 2 g green tea bag (for ochazuke); 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) (for ochazuke); 1 tbsp finely chopped green onions; 1 tbsp kizami nori (shredded nori); 1 tsp wasabi paste; 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

Prep:30minCook:30min

Hitsumabushi is a Nagoya speciality made with grilled eel coated in a sweet unagi sauce served over rice in a wooden container. Here's how to make it from scratch and enjoy it in three unique ways, just like a local!

Updated at: Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:44:24 GMT