Unagi Kappou Tamakan
Sakata's oldest eel kappo restaurant, founded in the late Edo period and now in its sixth generation. The eel is prepared Kanto-style: first white-grilled, then steamed, then glazed with the house secret sauce — the result is fluffy and plump. The Taisho-era building has elegant private rooms. Fans travel from neighboring prefectures just for this eel. Google Maps 4.3 stars, 215 reviews — ranked No. 1 for eel in Yamagata Prefecture (2024, Nlab survey). The generations-old sauce and sweet rolled egg are also outstanding. Takeout bento available.
Reviews say: 'The fluffy texture and secret sauce are the best,' 'Worth coming from neighboring prefectures,' 'The atmosphere of a 6-generation establishment permeates the space,' 'Always order the rolled egg.' Google Maps 4.3/215 reviews — No. 1 for eel in Yamagata. TripAdvisor 4.2/17 reviews. Consistently high ratings across platforms. No signs of fake reviews (specific review content, natural rating distribution).