On the first day of my trip to Hakata, I had eel and went on a boat ride down the river. I went to Yukuhashi and tried their steamed eel in a steamer. I had tried steamed eel at a different restaurant in Yukuhashi before, but the eel was too soft and not to my liking. However, at this restaurant, the eel was grilled on the skin side, giving it a nice crispy texture, and even when steamed, the eel still had a delicious smoky flavor. The eel was also fatty and very tasty. After that, I went down the river in the rain. Check out more details on my blog here: https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/shimayablog/diary/

After enjoying a boat ride down the Yanagawa River, we visited a restaurant that seemed to be part of the same set as the boat company. At first, I thought the portion might be small, but the bento box was packed full of rice, giving it a satisfying weight. The rice with sauce had eel on top. I expected the rice to be heavily flavored, but it was actually quite light, allowing me to enjoy it easily. The quality of the eel was not exceptional, but it was still tasty. It wasn't drastically different from eel dishes in Osaka, but it was still delicious. I recommend trying it out after your boat ride experience.

I received this after going down the river. Personally, I prefer a regular bowl over steamed eel. There may be individual differences, but the cost performance was good.

The restaurant had a charming atmosphere with a scent of wood. It took some time for the food to come out, but the freshly steamed steamed dumplings were beautiful and piping hot.

I went on a boat ride in Yanagawa. The parking lot here is very convenient, even though it's not exactly a river ride (it's more like going around a moat). It's quite spacious, even though I didn't choose it for the taste. When we arrived before noon, there were group name signs lined up on the tables. My friend from Hakata said that without a reservation, it takes a long time for the steamed food to come out, but it arrived quickly once we sat down, and it was piping hot. When I opened the bento box, there was another box inside, which makes sense to prevent steaming. The taste was sweet, and the sauce had soaked into the rice.

I parked my car in the municipal parking lot, paid 500 yen at the toll booth, and headed straight out to find the restaurant. Since I had eaten a hearty breakfast and had been strawberry picking, I decided to visit the restaurant at a less crowded time. The place was almost empty, probably because it was not lunchtime yet. I was a little worried if I could finish my order, but I managed to eat everything. The aroma of the eel was infused into the rice, giving it a unique flavor that you wouldn't find in an eel bowl. The eel itself was cooked perfectly with a delicious sauce. I realized that soy sauce was essential to bring out this flavor, and I felt proud to be Japanese for a moment. The quality of the ingredients was good, so I believe you can enjoy a satisfying meal at any restaurant. I wished there was a bit more of the eel flavor on the steamed rice, and I deducted a point for the sweetness of the eel sauce. Nevertheless, it was still very delicious. I truly admire the person who came up with this cooking method.

I visited Yukuwa to eat eel seiro steamed. The restaurant is managed by the river rafting company, "Daito Enterprises". I ordered the "seiro steamed" for 2310 yen, which comes with liver sucking and pickled ginger. The seiro steamed had three pieces of eel on top of steamed rice, sprinkled with shredded omelette. It was my first time trying seiro steamed, and it was delicious with the rice soaked in sauce turning brown. Whether it's better to eat eel with freshly cooked white rice or steamed rice is a matter of preference. The rice was a bit on the strong side in flavor, but the eel was also rich in taste. However, overall, it seemed like the food was prepared in advance for group reservations, as it was served at a lower temperature and the eel seemed slightly burnt rather than nicely grilled. The liver sucking was honestly not that tasty, it was quite bland for my taste. The value for money may not be the best, considering the price for three pieces of eel. I have to give a slightly critical rating. Unfortunately, due to other people's schedules, we couldn't go river rafting here. As I looked at the sight of tourists rafting in donko boats from the boat landing, I decided in my heart to definitely go river rafting on my next visit and left Yukuwa.

This time, I went to "Daito", a restaurant in Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and had "Steamed Eel in a Steamer". It was a slightly chilly mid-December weekday, but around noon, I went on a boat tour of the moat of Yanagawa Castle and had lunch with "Steamed Eel in a Steamer". The location of the restaurant is right after turning south at the intersection of "Honjomachi", near Yanagawa High School and Yanagawa Castle, on the right side next to a thrift store. The parking lot was spacious enough to accommodate about 7-8 large tourist buses, and on this day, there were about 3 buses parked, including school trips. First, we boarded a boat for the moat tour, and the boatman operated the boat with a pole, so there were no sounds of motorboats, creating a calming and peaceful atmosphere. Since it was the moat of the former Yanagawa Castle, there were hardly any big waves or fast currents, and the boat leisurely moved along the quiet water surface. It was a different experience from moving on land, and the leisurely pace and serene scenery washed away the stress. On this day, the water level was high, so there was a route that we couldn't pass through, and the boat tour ended in about 40 minutes. Now, it was time for the eagerly awaited lunch. The atmosphere of the restaurant had a nostalgic feel with its old-fashioned building. The entrance had a glass window where you could see the eels being grilled. The organizer had made a reservation for the boat tour and lunch together, so as soon as the boat tour ended, we could have lunch right away. Inside the restaurant, to the left of the entrance, there were souvenirs displayed, and to the right, we took off our shoes and entered a spacious tatami room decorated with old farming tools on display. There were also a few table seats. There was even a tatami room where you could see the moat. Since it was after the school trip group finished their lunch, the cleanup was not yet done, but sitting around a long table with many people, chatting and eating together was quite enjoyable. We ordered drinks, made a toast, and when the dishes arrived, they were surprisingly warm in the steamer. The colorful presentation of eel and shredded omelet in the square steamer was beautiful. The eel was steamed in the steamer, so the sauce seeped in thoroughly but without feeling sticky, making it easy to eat. The rice under the eel was also evenly flavored, almost like cooked-in rice. The eel did not feel sticky like usual, and each grain had a good taste. I enjoyed the eel with the rice and omelet, savoring the umami and fragrance spreading in my mouth. The liver was refreshing with just the right amount of saltiness, perfect for resetting the palate. The bottom of the steamer was like a puddle, making it a bit challenging to pick up the rice grains that got stuck, but since it was delicious, I made an effort to eat it cleanly. I'm not sure about the cost of the boat tour, as it was a group trip, but I enjoyed the nostalgic atmosphere. In terms of cost-performance, it was a bit on the expensive side, but it became a good memory of the trip.

From the spacious tatami-style interior of the restaurant, you can see a moat with donko boats floating on it. I sat by the window, enjoying a leisurely meal while watching ducks swim in the moat. This restaurant not only serves eel dishes indoors but also offers boat rides down the river, allowing you to enjoy a meal on a donko boat. This time, I had the "Special Eel Steamed in a Bamboo Steamer (3150 yen)". According to a magazine, this restaurant's eel steamed dish was ranked on the richer side in a list of eel steamed dishes in Yufuin. Eels in Yufuin are indeed deliciously tender. The liver is also delicious.