Unagi Fujita

The Beginning A love for eels
and a desire to pass it on

Back in 1892,
my great-grandfather began peddling eels from Lake Hamana to traditional Japanese restaurants in present-day Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, marking the start of Unagi Fujita.
At that time, fresh, lively eels were a rare and precious delicacy; even more so in this mountainous region of Nagano Prefecture.
Along the way, my great grandfather poured water from the Tenryu River over the eels to keep them fresh. It is said that it took him several days to carry the eels on foot over the long distance of about 137 kilometers.
Watching my great grandfather as he grew up, my grandfather, Kesakichi, started his own eel farm near Lake Hamana, naming it "Kesakichi" after himself, so that nearby customers could always enjoy fresh, lively eels. It is said that high quality eels grew quickly at this eel farm, where young eels called "shirasu unagi" were raised. My great-grandfather and grandfather's love of eels led them to continue their quest for flavor, while my father created the secret sauce. This dedication spanning three generations has now been passed on to me, the fourth generation owner, here at Unagi Fujita.

Fourth Generation Owner