Toshima Manryo Ichigetsuan

The majestic Odawara Castle may be the main architectural interest in the city of the same name, but traditional unagi restaurant Toshima Manryo Ichigetsuan draws a crowd of both architecture enthusiasts and unagi connoisseurs alike. Built in 1941, the Toshima Residence was the residence of Makishiro Toshima, a well-known physician in Hakone. Now a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan, the residence is a one-story wooden building with ornate ceiling decorations and an attached study room, called a shoin. Even after his passing, the premises — named Ichigetsuan for the brilliant white camellia that bloom in its gardens every January — continue to be a popular green site for Odawara residents and visitors both. Ichigetsuan also attracts unagi enthusiasts with a bevy of traditional eel dishes, many of which are not even served in other eel specialty restaurants. The restaurant also uses exclusively blue eels, ao-unagi, beautiful blue specimens that are said to account for less than 10 percent of eels caught. Toshima Manryo Ichigetsuan specializes in unabe, an eel hotpot dish that is highly popular in Kyoto, but a rarity in the Kanto region. A mixture of dried bonito, kelp and eel bones, the rich broth is supposed to be good for digestion, particularly when paired with the restaurant’s traditional kuzukiri noodles, thick, translucent noodles made from the root of the kudzu vine (Japanese arrowroot) in Nara Prefecture. Exclusive to byFood guests is the mini una-don, an eel rice bowl drizzled liberally with the restaurant’s secret sauce. So as to let the natural goodness of the rice and eel come through, the sauce used by Ichigetsuan is significantly less sweet than the sauce used by other restaurants, augmenting the flavors just enough. After the meal, guests are welcome to walk off the meal by taking a stroll through the famed Japanese-style gardens, admiring both the external architecture like the magnificent southern gate, as well as the indoor art gallery, which features a rotating selection that features local Odawara artwork.