I went to pick up my daughter who was visiting Tokyo and we decided to have lunch together. After returning to work for a while, I went to pick her up again at Takashimaya in Shinjuku. We used to go to Mitsukoshi in Ebisu when we visited Daikanyama, but it seems they have closed down. This time, we went to Shinjuku and took a taxi from Takanawa to Takashimaya. Since we had some time to spare, we decided to grab a light dinner at the restaurant floor. My wife loves sushi, so I was thinking of choosing a sushi restaurant, but she suggested trying Hitsumabushi. We ended up going to the Hitsumabushi restaurant located on the 14th floor. The interior was clean and well-organized, with plenty of table seats available. We were seated by the window and started with beer and appetizers, including kamaboko and mozuku vinegar. I ordered the chrysanthemum eel dish, while my wife ordered the pine eel dish for 5000 yen. The eel was served promptly, and we enjoyed it as is before pouring the broth over it. It was a delicious meal, and I found this branch of the restaurant to be more casual and convenient compared to the main branch in Akasaka. It's a great place to enjoy eel while shopping.

This was my first time visiting! It's a monthly tradition to go on an eel tour! Considering the location, the portion size is great and the cost performance is decent! As for the order, I wish there was more broth, the sauce could be a bit richer, and I would like the skin to be crispy.

My husband decided to buy a gift, so we went to Shinjuku Takashimaya together! He is not very confident in the general common sense of Japanese customs, perhaps due to being raised abroad or simply living a carefree life (he has narrowly avoided making mistakes in the past). Therefore, although he is not very reliable as a person of common sense, I am still better off accompanying him to give advice on things like choosing sweets that last long and are from Tokyo, how to wrap them, and what to write on the packaging. As a reward for accompanying him, we had eel at this restaurant on the 14th floor of Takashimaya. The eel here is delicious and reasonably priced, even though it has slightly increased in price. The weekday lunch menu offers eel rice bowls with plum for 2,200 yen, with bamboo shoots for 3,200 yen, and hitsumabushi for 2,500 yen. The eel is steamed and then grilled, making it soft and flavorful. The eel is so tender that the chopsticks easily go through it and it melts in your mouth. The portion size is also generous. The staff on the floor are attentive and keep refilling your tea. The restaurant floor in the department store is definitely worth a visit, especially the ones on the 14th floor where you can find some great restaurants.

Eel or sushi? After much consideration, we chose eel. My husband and I went to eat eel together. I like eel rice bowls, but I prefer grilled eel with sweet soy sauce, so we chose this place. It's a high-end restaurant in a department store, but you can enter in casual attire, which is nice. When we arrived at 11:30 am, there were 12 groups ahead of us. We registered our phone number and received a call when we were two groups away from being seated. You can check the waiting time on your smartphone, which is very convenient. Even with 12 groups waiting, it's easy to pass the time on other floors of the department store. We were seated in about 30 minutes. I had the lunch grilled eel for 2500 yen, and my husband had the premium grilled eel for 6800 yen. The difference was quite significant! The lunch option had less eel and more sauce on the rice, but it was still delicious. The eel was tender and the sauce was not overly sweet. Both dishes came with the same condiments and side dishes, which were tasty. I forgot to add the powdered sansho pepper, which I regretted. The eel here is from Taiwan, not Japan, but it was still delicious. Overall, it was a great meal, and we plan to come back for the sansho pepper next time.

A taste of tradition. My husband and I had eel rice bowls at Takashimaya using their points to stay healthy. We splurged on chrysanthemum as well. When we opened the lid, the eel was beautifully arranged. It looked delicious. The sauce was not too sweet or too spicy, just the right balance. The eel was soft and flavorful. Thank you for the feast!

Unagi might be my favorite food. I went for lunch on my birthday. I arrived around 11 am on Saturday, but it was full due to the summer vacation period, so I had to wait as the 6th group in line. After waiting for about 30 minutes, I ordered Hitsumabushi and it was served in about 20 minutes, which is quite fast for unagi. I also like Unaju, but this restaurant is all about Hitsumabushi. It's delicious to eat as is, with condiments and adding dashi for three different tastes! The unagi was plump and the sauce was not too heavy, which I liked. Even with just the bamboo, I got quite full. For me, the bamboo is the best. If you want to enjoy it at a slightly lower price, go for the weekday lunch Hitsumabushi. It was a bit smaller portion and I think it was 3,300 yen. Women might get full with the lunch portion. The atmosphere in the restaurant is casual and you can easily enjoy the unagi. Reservations are only accepted for weekday evenings, and in August, no reservations are accepted at all, which is a downside. But since the turnover is fast, it's something you can bear.

I don't usually go to the restaurant area in department stores, but on this day, we decided to have eel for some reason and headed to Shinjuku Takashimaya. It was around 6 pm on a Sunday and there was a wait of 5 groups. We registered using a machine and while walking around the same floor, we noticed that "Katsukura" had a long line. However, other restaurants that appeared to have availability had signs saying "currently full" or "we can seat you right away" in a couple of places. We weren't in the mood to shop on other floors, so we decided to wait and see how long it would take. Just as we were talking about how we didn't know how much longer we would have to wait, two groups ahead of us were quickly seated one after the other. Oh, it turned out the turnover was faster than we expected. We ordered the eel rice bowl "Matsu" for ¥5200. The pickled daikon radish was cut into large pieces and delicious! The eel, which we learned from the store's sign was from Taiwan, had a crispy skin but the meat was lean, which left my companion feeling a bit unsatisfied. However, I enjoyed a Belgian beer that I had before the eel arrived, which had a cherry flavor that I liked, so overall I was satisfied. The clientele seemed to be mostly families, but there were also solo diners. You could catch a glimpse of the sunset through the large windows, and considering the view, the price seemed reasonable.

I ordered hitsumabushi with chrysanthemum. It was a serving size equivalent to about three tea cups. I was tempted by other dishes, but hitsumabushi alone filled me up quite a bit. There were plenty of condiments, and the miso soup was delicious too!

Located on the 14th floor of Takashimaya Times Square. I visited at 2 pm on a weekday. There were 3 groups waiting. Even after taking a number, more people kept coming, so it seemed like a popular restaurant. I had the Hitsumabushi lunch for 2500 yen. The eel was rich in oil and perfect for a hot summer day. The lunch was very reasonable, and I look forward to visiting again in the future.

I always thought that Japanese people really like eel, as every time I pass by this place, it's always crowded. So, I decided to take my eldest daughter here to help her understand the deliciousness of eel for the first time. This place is a long-established eel restaurant founded in 1923. Despite the long line outside, if you get a ticket, you'll receive a call when it's your turn, so the stress is minimal. Eel rice bowl, grilled eel, eel liver, and grilled eel liver were on my list, but unfortunately, the eel liver was sold out, even though it was only 12:15 on a weekend. The eel used is from Taiwan, but it's of good quality with thin skin. The preparation seems to be done quite meticulously. The sauce is light and not overpowering, quite good. When eaten with rice, the eel is fluffy and has a good amount of fat for this season, making it delicious. It was a perfect debut for my daughter. My wife doesn't like eel, but even she was surprised by how delicious it was. I plan to continue introducing my children to the foods I love and take them around when I become a grandpa. That's my 10-year eating plan.

I went to eat eel rice bowl to replenish my nutrients as I was recovering from an illness and my stamina was low. I arrived a little before 1 pm and there was a wait of 16 groups... But I really wanted to eat eel, so I decided to wait. The wait was about 50 minutes. Finally, the long-awaited eel arrived. First, I had a glass of draft beer with "uzaku". Unfortunately, they were sold out of "bone senbei". I ordered the "eel rice bowl (take)". The liver soup was soothing to my body. The eel rice bowl looked small with a shallow sauce, but after finishing it, I felt full. As I finished eating, I saw the person next to me asking for an extra serving of sauce, and I regretted not doing the same. Next time, I will definitely order extra sauce.

Located on the 14th floor of Shinjuku Takashimaya Times Square is Akasaka Fukinuki. This upscale eel restaurant is situated in the restaurant district of Shinjuku Takashimaya, offering a view of Shinjuku from the top floor. The restaurant is popular among inbound tourists. The lunchtime crowd is busy, but they provide numbered tickets for waiting customers, allowing you to explore Takashimaya while you wait. The turnover is fast. I ordered the Hitsumabushi lunch set for 2500 yen. It is described as Kanto-style Hitsumabushi. I was curious about what Kanto-style meant, and the dish arrived surprisingly quickly for an eel restaurant. When I opened the wooden container, I found eel arranged like a bowl of eel rice, surrounded by the usual Hitsumabushi toppings. I tried it first with sansho pepper, then with condiments, and finally as ochazuke, following the traditional Hitsumabushi eating style. The Kanto-style elements were the fluffy texture of the eel and the light seasoning. It is true that Hitsumabushi eaten west of Nagoya tends to have a crispy texture and stronger seasoning. The seasoning of the eel stands out as unique compared to other dishes, which is an interesting contrast between east and west. Despite being lightly seasoned, the dish transforms from a simple eel bowl to a subtle Hitsumabushi as you progress through the meal, with a satisfying amount of rice. Overall, I was very satisfied with the eel lunch. While the regular Hitsumabushi menu may offer a more luxurious experience, the lunch set provided great value for the price.

When I went out for errands and my mother wanted to eat eel, we searched on Tabelog and decided to go to Akasaka Fukinuki. My family ordered eel rice bowls, while I ordered hitsumabushi because there are three ways to enjoy it. First, I ate it as is from the wooden bowl. The eel was tender and flavorful, with a delicious sauce and richness that satisfied my hunger. As expected, it was delicious! Next, I added green onions and seaweed as toppings. The change in flavor from the toppings was also great. Finally, I made ochazuke by adding wasabi and dashi to the bowl. Oh, the ochazuke was also delicious! Each of the three ways to eat hitsumabushi had its own merits, making it hard to choose the best one.

Matsuya's unaju. The eel is fluffy and very delicious. Really delicious. The sauce is lightly applied and the balance between the amount of rice and eel is perfect. We often go to eat on special occasions like birthdays, not just on the midsummer day of the ox. We went on this day as a Mother's Day gift. Eating eel makes you feel energetic, happy, and delicious!

There is an eel restaurant in the restaurant area of Shinjuku Takashimaya. It's a great deal to have lunch for under 3000 yen. From May 1, 2023, there will be a price change. Both the eel bowl and hitsumabushi are delicious and satisfying. Unfortunately, the grilled eel liver was sold out. Thank you for the meal.

In the restaurant area of Shinjuku Takashimaya Times Square, there is a popular restaurant where chairs are placed outside, indicating a line. Arriving 10 minutes before opening, I received the 13th ticket in line. The restaurant has 50 seats, so it should be fine. However, everyone needs to be present before being seated, so make sure not to be late. Even if you don't get in on the first round, the turnover is fast, so your turn will come soon. The recommended lunch menu includes Unaju with plum for 1980 yen, Unaju with bamboo for 2980 yen, and Hitsumabushi for 2500 yen. They also have other options like Unaju, Hitsumabushi, Kabayaki, Shirayaki, and appetizers on their grand menu. It's rare to find Hitsumabushi in Tokyo, so I recommend trying the Hitsumabushi lunch. They seem to be preparing in anticipation, as dishes are quickly served to tables that ordered Unaju. Unfortunately, I couldn't see the difference between plum and bamboo due to the spacious table arrangement. Soon, the Hitsumabushi arrived. I scooped it into a bowl, sprinkled some sansho pepper, and took a bite. The sweet sauce soaked into the rice, and it was delicious! I've only had Hitsumabushi cooked Kansai-style in Nagoya, but this one is steamed before being grilled, which makes it fluffy and tender. The sauce is sweet and rich. I then added some chopped green onions and tried it, which was also great. Finally, I poured the broth, sprinkled some nori, and added a dab of wasabi. The aroma of seaweed wafted through, and the smell of grilled eel followed. This was amazing! I've only had Hitsumabushi with firm grilled eel in Kansai-style, so this was a nice change. I wonder what people from Nagoya think about this.

Food Log 3.48 ✍️ Akasaka Fukinuki Shinjuku Takashimaya Times Square Store Shinjuku Lunch Unadon (Bamboo) ¥2980 On this day, I visited the renowned eel restaurant "Akasaka Fukinuki" at Shinjuku Takashimaya Times Square 14th floor. The restaurant, which was founded in 1923 in Akasaka, takes its name from a prestigious restaurant in Gifu where the previous owner trained when he was young. The name "Fukinuki" means "to persist in nobility," reflecting the strong commitment to providing customers with high-quality offerings at all times. The restaurant is known for its century-old tradition of focusing on quality ingredients, traditional methods, and meticulous service. The lunch menu offers great value, with dishes like Unadon (Bamboo) for ¥2980, Unadon (Plum) for ¥1980, and Hitsumabushi for ¥2500, all priced around ¥1000 cheaper than usual, making them very popular choices. I arrived at the restaurant on a Monday at 2:30 PM. I ordered the Unadon (Bamboo) and waited in the quiet atmosphere of the 14th floor, enjoying the scenic view. The dish arrived in about 20 minutes, and upon opening the box, I was surprised by the generous portion of eel overflowing from the container. The eel was tender and flavorful, with a perfect balance of meat and skin, cooked to perfection and served with a delicious sweet and savory sauce. The exquisite taste of this traditional Kanto-style Unadon from a century-old prestigious restaurant was truly satisfying. I look forward to returning someday to try the overflowing Unadon (Chrysanthemum) after adjusting my schedule accordingly. Thank you, Yupon-ta-san, for the recommendation! I will continue to visit to enjoy more recommended eel dishes in the future. - Akasaka Fukinuki Shinjuku Takashimaya Times Square Store Address: 5-24-2 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Hours: [Lunch] 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Last order 3:00 PM), [Dinner] 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Last order 9:00 PM) Closed: Irregular (following Takashimaya's schedule) Payment: Cards accepted (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners), Electronic money accepted (Suica, Rakuten Edy, iD), QR code payments not accepted Seats: 32 (Main building 20, Annex 6, 2nd floor 6)

When visiting Shinjuku, I often make sure to stop by this restaurant. Today's menu was "Lunch Unaju - Take". The order arrived in about 10 minutes. The grilled eel was cooked perfectly, and the seasoning was very refined at this restaurant. It's no wonder there's always a line here. If you can get such high-quality unaju for this price at lunch, it's a great deal. Since it's a popular spot, I recommend going early. Thank you for the delicious meal!

The atmosphere is nice and the scenery is beautiful, making it a great place for work meetings or dates! The service is good too! However, the taste is a bit too bland. It might be because there are many older customers, but it's bland. You can adjust with the sauce they provide, but it's still bland. That's the only downside. If you just want to eat eel, you might not need to come here. But if you want the atmosphere as well, then it's worth a visit.

I used it for lunch. It was Saturday, so there was a 15-group wait at 11:30. (About 1 hour later, I received a reservation guidance by phone.) I ate Hitsumabushi, first as an eel bowl, and then used three types of condiments to eat it as ochazuke. It was very fluffy and delicious. The portion is a little small, but I was very satisfied with the liver sucking change for 2,700 yen.

I visited this restaurant with a friend on a weekday night after making a reservation. It is located inside Takashimaya and was not very crowded. We thought we could have gotten in without a reservation, but they had reserved a quiet sofa seat for us in the back, which we appreciated. We ordered one glass of sake, an eel rice bowl (with pickled plums), and eel simmered in soy sauce. The eel was fluffy and tender, with a nice fragrance, and the sauce was not too sweet. It was delicious! The cost performance was good, and it was a convenient and quiet place to have a meal. I would love to come back again. Thank you for the meal.