Ohakaya Unagi Restaurant
A long-established eel restaurant near Lake Shinji, 3 minutes walk from Matsue English Garden Station. The contrast of crispy skin from charcoal grilling and melt-in-your-mouth soft flesh is overwhelming. The signature 'Kasane Nidan'—a layered eel bowl with eel even tucked under the rice—is the star dish. In Matsue, everyone recognizes it as 'the eel place.' No reservations, cash only, opens at 10am with queues. Tabelog 3.53, 228 reviews (7,662 saves); TripAdvisor 26 reviews.
"The charcoal aroma and crispy skin—if you eat eel in Matsue, this is the only choice." "Queuing before the 10am opening was the right call, got in before sellout." "The Kasane Nidan is luxurious, but this content at this price is only possible in Matsue." "Open only 10am-2pm—that's refined; I come every year."