It is a restaurant located very close to the river where you can enjoy a boat ride right after getting off at Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station. We arrived around 1:20 PM and were seated immediately. We ordered a bottle of beer for 650 yen, one serving of steamed eel for 2,500 yen, and a larger serving for 3,000 yen, totaling 6,150 yen. The eel sauce was not too sweet, and the rice remained hot until the end, making it very delicious. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere with a large window overlooking the boats on the river.

Strolling around Yanagawa. Among the many eel restaurants in Yanagawa, Kusugawa is quite reasonable. You can enjoy your meal while watching the river cruise. The steamed eel is fluffy and delicious. The slightly sweet and rich sauce is perfect for the summer heat. The portion size may be a bit small.

On the first day of the three-day weekend, I went river rafting in Yanagawa. Since I was already there, I decided to have eel for lunch. I was considering going to either Wakamatsuya or Honkichiya, which are highly rated on Tabelog, but based on the recommendation of the boatman for the river rafting, I ended up at "Kusugawa" instead. Expensive restaurants are expected to be delicious, but when a cheaper one is also tasty, it feels like a win, right? And yes, I felt like I got a great deal here. I ordered the steamed eel (large) for 2700 yen including tax. The sauce was a bit sweet but had a refreshing sweetness that didn't get boring until the end. The plump eel was so delicious! The liver sashimi had a nice aroma and the mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley) was tasty! They even provided a spoon, maybe for easier eating? I definitely made use of it (laughs). After the meal, I strolled around the birthplace of Kitahara Hakushu, enjoying a leisurely walk along the picturesque moat. It was a delightful start to a fun trip.

My mother, who was watching this place, mentioned that she wanted to go, so I suggested staying overnight in Yanagawa since we were going on a trip. However, my mother, who drives back home, said she was okay with just a day trip, so I reluctantly gave up on staying overnight. If I were to object, I might be left behind, right? It was a weekday, so I thought we might not need a reservation, but I was worried about groups coming in, so I made a reservation just as they opened at 11:00. We got a table by the river at the Yanagawa downstream boat dock, and I watched various people going downstream. My mother had steamed eel on a steamer, and we had draft beer and eel bone senbei (crackers). We also had a single item of Yanagawa hot pot. First, we had the eel bone senbei with beer. Next, we had the hot pot. When we opened the lid, the egg and dashi aroma wafted out, and it was a bit stronger in flavor, but delicious! My mother said she didn't eat loaches, but when my father and I recommended it, she took a bite and said it was delicious. The steamed eel was hot and served with a slightly sweet seasoning, lacking in fragrance. Since I had only been to the usual restaurants like Wakamatsuya and Honkichiya, my mother said it's nice to try a different restaurant. She is from Kubota in Saga Prefecture, so I have been coming to Yanagawa to eat eel since I was a child. The clear soup had a lemon floating in it, making it refreshing. The steamed eel was taken away when we opened the lid, so I had to go get it again to prevent it from getting cold. I shifted from two glasses of draft beer to sake during the day, which was a smooth drink with a little color and a refreshing taste. I forgot to ask about the brand! We ordered grilled eel as a single item, which was delicious in its own way despite lacking in fragrance. When my mother mentioned that we had seen the Do-mo, the lady who seemed to be the landlady gave us a handcrafted candied chestnut as a service. Without a word, my mother ate my portion as well. It was a reasonable price to enjoy eel with four glasses of draft beer and a cup of sake for less than ten thousand yen.

I found a charming restaurant while enjoying a boat ride down the Yanagawa River, and as soon as the boat ride ended, I hurriedly made my way there. The restaurant should offer a great view of the boat ride from inside, considering how beautiful the scenery is from the boat. It is located right by the final stop of the boat ride, the Yanagawa Feudal Lord's Residence "Gohana". The town of Yanagawa, known for the poet Kitahara Hakushu, offers boat rides. I had decided to try the steamed eel, so I hoped they hadn't finished serving lunch yet. Luckily, the restaurant was still open. The menu included steamed eel in a steamer for 2,000 yen and up, grilled eel set meal for 3,000 yen, and Yanagawa hot pot set meal for 1,500 yen. I chose the steamed eel with 4 pieces for 2,300 yen. The exterior of the restaurant, as seen from the boat ride, was lovely, and the interior was also charming with seats arranged to enjoy the view of the boat ride. There was also a raised tatami seating area, but of course, the best seats were those with a view of the boat ride. The meal came with eel liver and pickles. The dishes were elegantly presented, and the prices were quite reasonable for a tourist spot, which was a pleasant surprise. The steamed eel with plenty of sauce and egg on top was a delight, especially when accompanied by the view of the Yanagawa boat ride. It was a unique experience, and I highly recommend trying the steamed eel while enjoying the beautiful scenery and ambiance of the restaurant.

The night before, Shiiya from "Sushi Yasuyoshi" recommended me to go down the Yanagawa River, so I took a break from work and went to Yanagawa by Nishitetsu train. The weather was nice, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, it was perfect! After finishing the Yanagawa boat ride and leaving the boat dock, it was almost noon. Since I was in Yanagawa, I was planning to eat steamed eel in a steamer, but when I called in the morning, all the restaurants said that they don't take reservations for lunch and to "please wait in line" (^_^;) When I went to the restaurants, as expected, the popular ones on Tabelog had dozens of people waiting with numbered tickets. In Yanagawa, apart from the top few restaurants, the Tabelog scores were almost the same, so I decided to go to this restaurant that I saw during the boat ride because it had steamed eel for 2000 yen and 2300 yen (upper). I chose this place. I entered the restaurant and sat by the window where I could see the boat dock. The only difference between regular and upper was whether there were three or four pieces of eel, so I also ordered Yanagawa hotpot with loaches. Of course, I know that Yanagawa hotpot did not originate in Yanagawa, but in Edo... Well, it's steamed eel with rolled omelette on top, the price is reasonable for a tourist spot, so I don't expect it to be exceptionally delicious... I have no complaints. It's nice to be able to eat comfortably while looking at the river and boats.

After participating in the photo contest award ceremony at the Yanagawa City Hall, I thought about treating myself to eel before heading home. There are many eel restaurants in Yanagawa, with varying parking availability and specialty status. I wanted to try steamed eel, preferably the "superior" quality. However, prices can vary greatly, with "superior" dishes typically costing over 2700 yen and lower quality dishes only containing 3 pieces, which can be disappointing. After thorough research, I discovered a restaurant called "Kusukawa" near a famous garden, offering a "superior" dish with liver included for only 2300 yen, and they also had parking. Once inside the restaurant, I noticed it was almost empty, with only two customers who seemed to be bus drivers and one staff member doing some kind of work at a table (which slightly lowered my rating). Despite the quiet atmosphere, the interior was very clean and the seating area to the right had large glass windows, while the left side had traditional tatami seating with a view out the window. I worried that the low price might compromise the taste, but when the steamed eel arrived promptly, my concerns vanished. The eel from Kagoshima prefecture was tender with a satisfying crispiness and a delicious aroma. The warm liver with lemon added a nice touch, eliminating any unwanted smell. Looking out the window, I could see flowers in bloom and tourists enjoying boat rides down the river, making me appreciate my choice of dining location. When I mentioned that I had come to Yanagawa for the award ceremony at the city hall, the staff kindly gave me eel bone senbei as a gift! This restaurant not only offers great food but also showcases the warmth and kindness of the people in Yanagawa, making it a highly recommended spot to enjoy both the cuisine and the scenery.

(Visit on February 12, 2015) On this day, I came to Yanagawa. I purchased a 1DAY PASS for 2060 yen at Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station, which allows unlimited rides on Nishitetsu buses from Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station to Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station and within the city. Depending on how you use it, it may be a bit cost-effective as the fare from Nishitetsu Fukuoka to Yanagawa is 850 yen. I took the bus number 6 bound for Hayatsue from Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station and got off at the nearest stop, Gohanae, to visit the birthplace of Kitahara Hakushu. After exploring the area, I arrived here a little after 12 o'clock. It's a hidden gem along the moat. As it was a weekday at a tourist spot, there were few people and the only other customers were a pair of office workers, making it very quiet and pleasant. My wife ordered the Eel Seiromushi (regular) (with liver and pickles) for 2000 yen, while I, not being a fan of eel, ordered the Yanagawa Nabe Set Meal (rice, side dishes, liver, pickles) for 1500 yen. While waiting for the food to be ready, we looked at the hanging objects inside the restaurant and drank tea. My wife's Seiromushi arrived first, beautifully presented in a steamer. The rice beneath the steamed eel seemed to be coated with a dark sauce, but the taste was not as strong as it looked. The regular portion includes 3 pieces, while the larger portion for 2300 yen comes with 4 pieces. Later, the Yanagawa Nabe Set Meal also arrived. It was my first time trying Yanagawa Nabe. The egg and dojou (loach) in the simmered dish were flavorful, with a slightly rich overall seasoning, including the side dishes. The rice and tea were delightful. As we finished eating and relaxed, it started raining, so we decided to take our time. Since the bus runs only about once an hour, it's important to plan with some extra time. Thank you for the meal.

On the way to Kumamoto for business, I got off at the "Miyama Yanagawa Interchange" on the highway. The destination was 20 kilometers away in Yanagawa, where I planned to eat the famous eel dish called "seiro steamed eel." This was my fourth visit to my favorite restaurant "Kusugawa" in Yanagawa. For a popular spot for tourists, I recommend "Ohana" where you can enjoy a meal and view the garden. It is located at the former residence of the Yanagawa feudal lord, the Yanagawa Ohana. In Yanagawa, the "Yanagawa Hina Festival Sagemon Meguri" has been held since February 11th. The water in the moat seemed to have been drained for cleaning in preparation for next month's water parade and other events. This time, "Kusugawa" was located next to "Ohana" across the moat. The restaurant parking lot can accommodate about 4 cars, but it tends to get full during meal times, so please be cautious. There are large parking lots nearby as well as a coin-operated parking lot in front of the restaurant. When I arrived at the restaurant, they were still preparing, but they welcomed me warmly. The view of the moat through the glass inside the restaurant is usually filled with passing boats, but this time, it was a bit dirty due to the drained water. I ordered the signature dish "seiro steamed eel" (2,000 yen), which consists of steamed rice topped with grilled eel pieces and comes with eel liver soup and pickles. The dish is served in a special box, and when you open the lid, you can see the hot steamed rice soaked in sauce with four slices of tender grilled eel on top. The eel liver soup was a bit salty, but it paired well with the sweet seiro rice. It was a delicious meal!