Kawatoyo Narita Eel Rice Bowl Review 2026: Avoiding the Main Branch Wait
Visiting Narita? Don't miss the famous eel rice bowls! We're sharing our honest review of a popular spot, Kawatoyo, and how we navigated the crowds in 2026.
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Visiting Narita? Don't miss the famous eel rice bowls! We're sharing our honest review of a popular spot, Kawatoyo, and how we navigated the crowds in 2026.
Many of you flying in and out of Narita Airport might also be visiting Narita as a charming small city near Tokyo.
Before visiting Narita's Shinshoji Temple on my first day, I sought out the famous Kawatoyo to try its signature dish: unagi donburi (grilled eel over rice).
Experiencing it firsthand, I found everything from its operating style to its flavor quite unique. Let me share my honest review.
1. Kawatoyo Temporary Store
Why I Chose It, Location, and Essential Information
Kawatoyo (川豊総門前店) is a specialty eel restaurant located on Narita Omotesando, a popular spot for many travelers visiting Narita. That's precisely why I decided to visit.
The day I visited was a weekend lunchtime, so the main branch had a wait of over an hour. Following a staff member's guidance, I headed to the temporary store.
The main building and the temporary store are only about a 2-3 minute walk apart, so moving between them was no hassle at all.
📍 Kawatoyo Main Branch
386 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba 286-0027 Japan
📍 Kawatoyo Temporary Store
335-1 Honchō, Narita, Chiba 286-0026 Japan
Let me break down the location and essential information for you.
📍 Both the main branch and the temporary store are located on Narita Omotesando, just a 1-minute walk from Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.
✔️ The main branch operates daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, while the temporary store is open exclusively on weekends from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
💴 I paid in cash. (Google Maps indicates Paypay is also accepted).
Please note that the restaurant operates across three locations: the main branch, a separate annex, and the temporary store.
2. Waiting Time and Ambiance
My visit was around 12 PM on a Saturday. While the main branch had a queue, I was able to enter the temporary store immediately without waiting.
Compared to the main branch, the atmosphere was quite different.
The temporary store felt more like a casual dining spot rather than a traditional eel specialty restaurant. If you're looking for that authentic Japanese ambiance, I'd recommend visiting the main branch.
The interior was clean and comfortable. Although the doors were open, it wasn't overly hot.
The ordering process involves placing your menu order and making payment at the entrance first, then picking up your food yourself when it's ready.
After paying, you take a seat, and once the number on your receipt is called, you can collect your food from the pickup counter.
It might feel a bit unfamiliar on your first visit, but the staff were very helpful with their guidance, making it easy to navigate.
Everything, from picking up your order to returning your trays, is self-service.
3. Menu and What I Ordered
The menu at the temporary store features a single dish: Tokyo-style unaju (grilled eel over rice).
The main branch, however, offers a more extensive menu.
Order Menu | Quantity | Price |
Large Grilled Eel over Rice | 1 | 4300 yen |
Two of us visited, and we ordered one large size.
The staff member mentioned it was okay to share, but
the portion isn't exactly generous.
However, it was fine for a light taste.
4. Unaju: Large Grilled Eel over Rice
And here it is! Unaju! ✨
Unaju is a Tokyo-style grilled eel rice bowl,
where a whole grilled eel is placed on top of rice.
When it first arrived, the charcoal aroma
and appetizing presentation really built up my expectations.
The small packets that came with it were
Kawatoyo's eel tare sauce and sansho pepper.
Since you sprinkle them yourself,
you can adjust them to your liking.
Green Packet = Sansho Pepper
Black Packet = Eel Tare Sauce
* Tare sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake.
It wasn't as delicious as I'd hoped,
and it felt different from other eel dishes I've had before.
While the eel in previous rice bowls I've eaten was tender,
Kawatoyo's eel had a distinct fish texture,
with a slightly firmer bite.
The flavor also felt relatively richer, somehow.
I also noticed some small bones while eating it.
Seeing how much everyone else was sprinkling it,
I wondered if adding the sauce would improve the taste, but it was similar.
It wasn't a flavor that really captivated me.
Overall, the texture, flavor, and sauce
didn't quite match my personal preference.
Or perhaps this is the authentic taste of traditional unaju?
The real unaju experience...?
I felt that satisfaction could vary depending on individual taste.
For me, it was a bit disappointing... ㅜㅜㅜ
I'll share some delicious Osaka unaju spots soon!
5. Overall Review
The biggest advantage of Kawatoyo's temporary branch is
that you can enjoy it without the long wait typically found at the main branch.
Especially if you're heading to Narita Airport
or have a short itinerary exploring Narita,
being able to save time was a huge plus.
However, purely in terms of taste, I personally found it a bit lacking.
It might also be disappointing for those who prefer a more tender texture.
If you enjoy the traditional, richer flavor of eel,
it might be a better fit for you.
(I'm not entirely sure, though.)
If you're curious about my Narita travel itinerary,
check out the link below.
(By the way, I recommend visiting on your last day
rather than the first day.)
⬇️
During weekend lunch hours, the Kawatoyo Main Store typically requires a wait of over an hour, but the temporary store allows immediate entry without waiting. The main store and temporary store are about a 2-3 minute walk apart, so there's little burden of travel.
The Kawatoyo temporary store operates only on weekends, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Payment was made in cash.
The temporary store sells a single menu item: Tokyo-style Unaju (Large Grilled Eel over Rice). The price is ~$27.
At the temporary store, you first order and pay at the entrance, then pick up your food yourself when it's ready. Everything from pickup to returning dishes is self-service.
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