Narita Eel Restaurants

**Restaurant selection strategy:** Kawatoyo Honten (founded 1910) is most famous but has 30-60 min waits on weekends. Surugaya (founded 1861) is equally good with shorter lines — the building's traditional tatami rooms overlook interior gardens. Request 'zashiki' seating if available. **Grades of eel:** All restaurants offer multiple grades: 'nami' (standard, ¥2,800), 'jo' (premium, ¥3,500), and 'tokujyo' (special grade, ¥4,200+). The difference is eel size and fat content. For first-timers, 'jo' offers the best balance. 'Tokujyo' uses eel over 300g — noticeably richer. **Tare sauce depth:** The tare sauce used by multi-generation restaurants is never fully discarded — each day's new sauce is added to the remaining base, creating a 'mother sauce' that can be decades or centuries old. Ask to see the tare pot if the chef is visible — some are designated cultural artifacts. **Pairing:** Order the eel with Chiba-grown koshihikari rice and kimosui (eel liver soup, ¥300) — the bitter liver balances the sweet tare. Drink cold sake from local Katori Shrine breweries.