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Doyo no Ushi no Hi

Doyo no Ushi no Hi is a day in late July that is dedicated to eating eel. Oddly enough it was a custom that began during the Edo Period and became popular due to eel restaurants that wanted to increase sales.

These days not many young people are familiar with the origins of the day but instead think of eel as a seasonal dish since many restaurants put it on their summer menus.

Eel is highly regarded in Japanese cuisine and is eaten throughout the year, but is most popular during the hot summer months.

It is usually sliced, flattened out, and grilled with a special sweet barbecue sauce. Rich in protein, calcium, vitamin A and E, it is eaten for stamina to overcome these hottest times of the year.

Common unagi dishes include unagi-no-kabayaki (skewered grilled eel), una-don (grilled eel over rice in a bowl) or una-juu (eel in a lacquered box). Find more information on unagi