Marumasu-ya in Akabane is famous but always crowded, so I heard there is also a Marumasu-ya in Kita-Akabane and decided to visit for some eel rice bowl. It was just after opening for lunch and there was only one customer before me, and three more came in while I was eating. The eel was soft and delicious. Surprisingly, it came with cold tofu, and since I was having beer, I also got a bone cracker as a service. I'm interested in trying other set meals, so I will definitely visit again!

Marumasu in Akabane is known for its daytime drinking. I visited the restaurant in North Akabane and asked the staff, but it seems like they only have a curtain. I wanted to have a beer, but I had to resist as I was working. I don't usually eat unagi (eel), but this time I decided to treat myself and ordered the special unagi dish (3150 yen). It was fluffy and delicious. Unagi lovers can easily tell the difference between Chinese unagi and domestic unagi, but unfortunately, I can't. However, I could tell that it was delicious!

Located a 3-minute walk from JR Kitashirane Station Akabane Exit, along Akabane Namiki Street near Akabane Kita-Ni Post Office, is the restaurant "Marumasuya Kitashirane Branch." I visited for the first time in late May during lunchtime. This is a branch of the famous Marumasuya in Akabane Ichiban-gai. The restaurant has a total of 39 seats including counter seats, table seats, and tatami seats. However, the counter seats were mostly used for storing bags, so it was difficult to find a seat. I was guided to a 4-person table seat. The restaurant is run by what seems to be a family of three. While they also offer set meals with grilled fish and fried foods, I wanted to try the eel as that is what Marumasuya is known for. On this day, I ordered the "Unaju Special" (2950 yen) with liver sashimi, pickles, and cold tofu. After a short wait, the unaju was served. I opened the lid of the box, sprinkled some sansho pepper, and started eating. The eel was soft and fluffy, and the sauce had a perfect balance of flavors. The liver sashimi had a good bitterness to it and was delicious. I finished the meal soon and was very satisfied with the delicious unaju. Thank you for the meal.

The "Marumasuya Kitashakujii Store," located a few minutes' walk from "Namaste Nepal," offers a variety of dishes including eel, carp, and softshell turtle. Unlike the main store, this branch serves typical izakaya dishes such as tuna cheek, macasara, negi-dama, and grilled hokke. I chose the dish below from the paper strip menu on the wall without confirming whether it was salt-grilled or sauce-grilled. It turned out to be salt-grilled, with crispy skin and juicy chicken, paired with fragrant sweet leeks, providing a satisfying eating experience. Although I was slightly concerned about the texture of the skin, I enjoyed the thick, fatty eel topped with a light sauce in the premium eel rice bowl (served with liver, cold tofu, and pickles). I finished the meal with a beer, and it was delicious!

Preparations for the midsummer day of the Ox are in full swing. Today, an elderly man kindly made us eel bento boxes to take home. We are grateful amidst the busy preparations for the day of the Ox. The second generation seems to be out shopping. The term "土用" refers to the transitional period between seasons, lasting about 18 days. While the period of "土用" is 18 days, there are only 12 zodiac signs. This means that there may be two "day of the Ox" within the 18-day period. Therefore, during the summer "土用," there may be two day of the Ox depending on the year. This year, 2019, it was on July 27th. I bought the eel bento today as I'm not sure if I'll be able to eat it on the actual day. This shop, Marumasuya in Akabane, has been a familiar place since my childhood, where I can enjoy the taste of eel. While eating eel at the restaurant is great, eel in a bento box with rice and sauce soaked in just right is also satisfying on its own. However, I recently learned about the "eel bento without eel" being sold, which has become a topic of discussion. It is called "Tare Meshi for the Day of the Ox: 198 yen" and is available at around 80 university cooperatives in the Kanto and Chubu regions. The development of technology for cultivating eels from eggs is also progressing, but I hope it will be completed soon. It would be too sad to have eel-less eel bento. Chinese eels are also becoming popular, but they are often thicker than domestic eels, making me hesitant and worried. What are they feeding them? I hope the time comes soon when I can enjoy eels that I love with peace of mind. Today's order: Special x2 = 2,300 yen each

Akabane Shiko's sake journey, second stop is Marumasuya, a restaurant specializing in carp and eel dishes! It is said to be the most famous restaurant in Akabane, and when I arrived, there was a long line outside the store! I hesitated to join the line, but since the restaurant has a lot of seats and a fast turnover, we were able to get in quickly. I had done a little research before coming to this restaurant, so I ordered the item I was looking for. But to my surprise, it was sold out! Yes, it was the grilled eel kabuto. I really wanted to try it. It's a dish where they skewer 5 eel heads and grill them, which is apparently high in nutrition and good for health, and priced at only 250 yen for 2 skewers! I definitely want to try it next time! They open from 9 am, so maybe I'll come in the morning next time! However, there is a limit of 3 drinks per person, so don't worry about getting drunk! In the end, I had carp sashimi, suhpon nabe, oshinko, squid tempura, Sapporo Lager, and 2 sour drinks, costing around 2000 yen per person. Akabane's red star! The best of the best!

I have known about Marumasuya here for a long time, but today I bought an eel bento for the first time. They have two types of eel dishes, special and regular, but the bento only includes regular eel, so I chose that. Tonight, my family will have eel for dinner. This shop also offers set meals ranging from grilled fish to sashimi, and tonkatsu, and at night they have a wide variety of menu items for izakaya. I heard that the management and purchasing are different from the Marumasuya in Akabane, and now it is run by the second generation. I hope to continue enjoying their eel without having to wait in line.

Summer grass, soldiers' dreams are just traces, it's the Mogami River. In the midst of the rough waves of society, as long as the bare necessities of life are guaranteed, there may be complaints but daily life is not affected. One of the few things that bring a little moisture to such a life is none other than food. The energy source for the start of the day's breakfast, the activity energy for the day's lunch, and the vitality for tomorrow's dinner. Today, I decided to have lunch at Marumasuya Kitashakujii store, an eel restaurant near Kitashakujii Station. I arrived just as a customer was leaving and took a seat. After some contemplation, I decided to try the "Unaju Matsuba" this time. The dish that arrived shortly after was visually appealing and stimulated my appetite. I took the first bite. The feeling of satisfaction that I felt from the appearance was gradually fulfilled. It was a wonderful taste that made me honestly feel that it was worth coming to Kitashakujii Station. As I ate, I could feel my body regaining its energy through my taste buds. Before I knew it, the plate in front of me was clean and my stomach was completely full. I was able to enjoy a satisfying meal in terms of taste and portion. Thanks to this meal, I was able to once again find moisture in the midst of a meal. The atmosphere of the restaurant, including the service, was very satisfying. I will definitely visit again when I go to Kitashakujii Station. Gathering eel rice, swiftly flows the Mogami River.

Cost performance: good, Drinks: excellent, Atmosphere: good

We usually rely on Marumasu-ya Kitashinagawa for our everyday meals, mainly for izakaya dishes, but their specialty is eel. We usually order grilled eel with wasabi soy sauce to go with our beer, which is not listed on the menu and costs about half the price of a regular dish. It's like a secret menu item. Today, for a little celebration, my wife and I ordered the eel bowl, which cost around 5000 yen for two servings. We also ordered other dishes, so the total price was around that amount. While enjoying some tuna sashimi, we were surprised by the huge portion of macaroni salad that we ordered. My wife always seems to have an effect on the amount of food we get. The eel bowl came with clear soup, pickles, and other side dishes like thick omelette and simmered vegetables. We were surprised by how much was included. The owner, who changes daily, mentioned that the eel was shining brightly when he opened the lid. The eel was plump and tender, and the aroma was amazing. Grilling the eel with sauce made a big difference compared to the plain grilled eel. The price was very reasonable for the quality and the generous portions of side dishes. The atmosphere in the restaurant was cozy and family-friendly, with the female owner chatting with customers all around. It was a satisfying dining experience.

I had been wanting to visit this restaurant for a while. I ordered the Shimesaba, grilled eel, yakitori with leeks, eel head, and grilled eel with sauce. The Shimesaba had the perfect balance of flavors. The grilled eel was fluffy and delicious. The yakitori with leeks had large pieces of tender meat with a crispy outside. I tried eel head for the first time, and it was surprisingly soft after being steamed. The grilled eel with sauce was also fluffy and tasty. Overall, the taste and cost performance were excellent. I would definitely like to visit this restaurant again if I have the chance.