The hot days are still going on, and you may want to eat grilled eel with teriyaki sauce to prevent the summer heat from getting better of you.

Eels are full of nutrients such as vitamins A, B1 and collagen.

 

Originally, it’s customary in Japan to eat eels on the Midsummer day of the Ox (Doyo no Ushi no Hi). There are various theories about this, Dr. Hiraga Gennai is said to have originated it, who appeared in the NHK historical drama "UNBOUND”

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In the Edo period, eels were eaten wrapped around a skewer and cooked in Kabayaki, called “Kurikara Kushi”.

 

When the owner of an eel restaurant told Hiraga Gennai that they were having trouble selling eels during the summer, he suggested that they advertise it by posting a sign in their restaurant saying “Doyo no Ushi no Hi (Midsummer day of the OX) is Unagi no Hi (Eel-eating Day)”.

 

It is said that wild eels are the most delicious in autumn and winter, so it seems that since this period, people began to eat eels in summer as well. Currently, the development of farmed eels has progressed, and the distribution of farmed eels has been increasing because it has no odour.

 

In recent years, in order to promote eels overseas, frozen grilled eels are exported to coincide with “Doyo no Ushi no Hi” (Midsummer day of the Ox), which is part of Japanese food culture.

 

Eels are not eaten raw.

This is because eel blood contains a poison called “Ichthyohemotoxin”.

Eels should be cooked, such as “Kabayaki “or “Shiroyaki”. After that, we would like to taste it.

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