Unagi Musashino: Charcoal-Grilled Young Eel Unajū at Lunch

Founded in 1952 and now run by the third-generation owner, this small shop serves essentially one thing: unajū, grilled eel over rice. It uses shinko, young farmed eel from Sadowara in Miyazaki raised for under a year. The owner starts prep at 4am and removes every small bone by hand. The eel is steamed, then grilled over binchō charcoal. Staff suggest you take the first bites without sanshō pepper, because the eel has no muddy taste.

Nearly every reviewer describes the eel as melting, soft enough to fall apart at the touch of the chopsticks, with no odour and no bones. Several call it the best eel they have had. The tare is mostly praised as balanced. The kimosui (eel-liver broth) with large livers and the house pickles of aubergine, daikon and cucumber get repeated mentions. Those who managed to order the shirayaki (unsauced grilled eel) or the limited kimoyaki (grilled liver) rave about them. Many reviewers mention the chairs, fans and hand-warmers provided for the queue, and the owner coming out to greet waiting guests.

On the downside, several reviewers find it expensive for the portion, and the standard rice serving is small. The room is cramped and service is brisk, with tables cleared quickly. One recent review describes curt staff, and a few diners found the eel too rich by the end or wanted thicker fillets.

Reviewers in 2026 paid around ¥6,600 for the shinko unajū, with one reporting ¥6,800. In 2024–2025 it was about ¥5,830. Other 2026 figures are ¥330 for kimosui, ¥220 for large rice, and ¥6,900 for the shinko gozen set with grilled liver. The shop now serves lunch only, so expect roughly ¥6,600–7,500 per person. There is no dinner service, despite the dinner band on its listing.

For eel lovers it is good value. Most reviewers say the quality justifies the price, but treat it as an indulgence rather than a filling meal, and order the large rice if you are hungry.

• Getting there: about 4 minutes on foot from the East Exit of JR Urawa Station. The shop sits at the back of an apartment building's ground floor and is easy to miss, so look for the うなぎ banner.
• Booking: no reservations at any time. Walk in and queue. Arrive around 10:00 for the 11:00 opening, because second-round waits run 1–2 hours and the shop often opens early. One person may hold a place in line, but the whole party must be present to be seated. Groups of up to 4, and orders are taken while you wait.
• Sell-outs: it often sells out by around 12:00–13:00. Kimoyaki is limited to the first few customers.
• Children: all seating is on chairs, and small children who cannot sit on a chair are asked not to enter. There is no room for strollers.
• Payment: cash only. Credit cards, electronic money and QR payments are not accepted.
• Seats: 18 (6 at the counter, six 2-person tables). No private rooms, no private hire.
• Smoking: non-smoking.
• Parking: none, but there is coin parking nearby.
• Drinks: sake and shochu.