Hatsuogawa
Freshwater eel is prepared in classic Edo style at this Michelin Bib Gourmand unagi restaurant within walking distance of Senso-ji.
Restaurant Details
※ Please note that Hatsuogawa is a cash-only establishment, meaning that credit cards and other cashless payment methods are not accepted. Guests are requested to ensure that they have sufficient cash before entering.
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A bamboo screen is draped over the simple storefront of the long-established unagi (freshwater eel) restaurant Hatsuogawa, run by the owner and her son. It was established in 1907 in Asakusa and renovated in 2023, but its ambiance still retains nostalgic touches of bygone eras.
True to its origins, everything is prepared on a shichirin, a small earthen charcoal grill popular during the Edo period. The eel is cooked to order and soaked in a sweetened sauce based on a secret recipe handed down through the generations.
The classic eel dish of unaju (freshwater eel served over rice in a square lacquered bowl) is the obvious favorite for lunch, but what really sets Hatsuogawa apart are its skewers. The kabayaki skewers — eel grilled with a signature sweet sauce — stand out for their mouthwatering texture but it’s Hatsuogawa’s liver skewers, or kimoyaki, that are especially zesty, thanks to liberal use of Japanese sansho pepper.
Just a few blocks away from the grand Kaminarimon Gate opening into Nakamise Shopping Street and the iconic, massive lantern of Senso-ji, Hatsuogawa is the perfect place for a break during a round of Asakusa sightseeing.
Michelin Guide:
2022 - Bib Gourmand
Hatsuogawa Access Info
Hatsuogawa is a 5-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Toei Asakusa Line.
Hatsuogawa Phone Number
Hatsuogawa Business Days
Hatsuogawa Address
2-8-4 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0034
Hatsuogawa Cancellation Policy
Cancel your reservation at least 4 days before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Restaurant location
Over 14 million residents call Tokyo home. Functioning as Japan's economic and cultural center, it's no surprise the metropolis often appears at the top of travelers' bucket lists. Here, you can find everything from traditional tea houses to futuristic skyscrapers.
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10 meals
COURSE MENUToshima Manryo Ichigetsuan
Enjoy traditionally-prepared unagi dishes in this Odawara restaurant, housed in a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. Toshima Manryo Ichigetsuan uses exclusively blue-backed “ao-unagi” eels, said to account for only 10 percent of mature eels.
COURSE MENUMARUICHI FUJI AKASAKA (formerly Nyorosuke Akasaka)
Rather than steam the eel first in Kanto style, this famed Akasaka unagi specialist upholds Kansai tradition by going straight into grilling the eel for a crispier, crunchier texture.
COURSE MENUAzabujuban Hanabusa
This Tokyo restaurant sources its eels from unagi farmers in Isshiki Town, who have raised them in an all-natural environment for over 100 years. The unagi are then coated in a secret sauce, before being grilled Kansai-style over a charcoal flame.
COURSE MENUNyorosuke Roppongi
At Nyorosuke, you can experience authentic Kansai-style charcoal grilled eel dishes such as grilled eel skewers, unaju and unagi-don. Unlike most Tokyo-style eel restaurants, the eel here is not steamed—meaning it’s bursting full of flavor!