Edogawa Naramachi is one of Nara's most famous restaurants specializing in grilled eel from Kagoshima on the south western tip of the island of Kyushu. Nestled in a 150-year old merchants house called a machiya that used to specialize in kimonos, Edogawa was named after the famous river that runs through Tokyo, and so naturally specializes in Tokyo-style unagi or broiled eel as well as local chicken and vegetables from Nara. The relationship between the Japanese and eels is an ancient one with bones having been found in shell mounds of the ancient Jomon period, so it's thought that the Japanese have been eating eels for over 5000 years. The fragrant aroma of kabayaki is also dear to the hearts of many Japanese, a unique cooking method in which the eel is covered with a sweetened sauce made from soy sauce and Mirin rice wine.
At Edogawa, they carefully prepare the eel Tokyo-style where the eel is cut open, char grilled then steamed and grilled again with the sweet and salty soy-based sauce.With a a delicious unagi-focused menu, we chose the Unagi-Teishoku and Tempura-Teishoku lunch that featured sashimi, Edogawa's famous grilled eel, a selection of rolled omelet with eel or chawanmushi, okara, rice, miso or eel liver soup and tsukemono, Japanese preserved vegetables. Following lunch, we strolled over to Nakatanidou, Nara's award-winning mochi shop, famous for their popular Japanese sweet made from glutinous rice, azuki beans, roasted soy flour and Japanese mugwort. One of Japan’s oldest and most beloved treats, mochi has been a favorite in Japan for well over 1,000 years. One of the extraordinary sights was witnessing Nakatanidou's dramatic mochi-pounding process, a tradition known as mochitsuki, where green sticky rice paste is pounded in a big wooden mortar by two fellows wielding enormous wooden hammers to the thundering beat of great 'whumps' to the delight of fascinated onlookers.
Located in a 150-year old merchants house called a machiya,
Edogawa Naramachi is Nara's most famous restaurant specializing in grilled eel
The traditional Edo-style interior of Edogawa with tatami mats and sunken horigotatsu seating
Japanese etiquette requires removing ones shoes before entering a traditional ryokan,
izakaya or restaurant
'Restaurant Specializing in Eel' by Katsukawa Shuntei circa 1804-1810
The special menu at Edogawa that features grilled eel and Wagyu beef sukiyaki
Sashimi as the first course of the Unagi-Teishoku lunch
Rolled omelet with eel and pickled lotus root
Grilled Unagi: Edogawa's famous freshwater eel with kabayaki sauce
Okara is a dish made from the soybean pulp that remains after making tofu
Lacquer bowl with lid
Steamed rice
Eel Liver Soup
Tempura-Teishoku with grilled eel, tempura, sashimi, Chawanmushi egg custard,
Miso soup, rice and pickles
Nakatanidou, the award winning mochi shop in Nara, famous for their popular Japanese sweet made from glutinous rice, azuki beans, roasted soy flour and Japanese mugwort
Lady finishing the chewy yomogi mochi with a dusting of kinko powder,
a roasted soybean flour that has a slightly nutty taste
Nakatanidou's claim to fame is their dramatic mochi-pounding process,
a tradition known as mochitsuki
While the mocha is being pounded, one brave fellow has to turn the green mound of glutinous rice without getting his hands mashed
Pounding the mochi gives them their unique chewy consistency
Nakatanidou's specialty is yomogi mochi — yomogi is a Japanese wild plant also known as mugwort, and gives the mochi its natural green colour
Nakatanidou's ichigo daifuku – mochi filled with sweet red bean paste
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