Takahashiya

Takahashiya (髙橋屋) is a Japanese unagi (eel) kappo restaurant brand founded in 1868 (the first year of the Meiji era) and headquartered in Sugito, Kitakatsushika District, Saitama Prefecture. It traces its origins to founder Takakichi Takahashi, who opened a restaurant under the name "Fujiki Shibuntei" and later renamed it Takahashiya when he established a tatami-room and delivery-only shop near the Furukawa bridge in the post-town of Sugito-juku. The main store moved to its current address in 1929 and today sits on a site of over 500 tsubo (roughly 1,650 square meters) including a garden, with a famous century-old cherry tree. The brand is best known for its kabayaki and unaju made from natural domestic eel, sourced from different regions depending on the season, prepared with careful deboning and steaming, glazed with a secret tare that has been replenished and passed down for about 150 years, and grilled over the highest-grade binchotan charcoal. It also offers both the Kanto-style steamed-then-grilled method and the Kansai-style direct-grilled method. A signature local dish, eel tempura — said to originate with founder Takakichi frying young eel caught in the nearby Otone River — is designated a Sugito Town recommended souvenir. The restaurant also sells vacuum-packed eel for home delivery, limited to 100 servings per day. Takahashiya operates its main store in Sugito, a Ginza branch in Tokyo ("Ginza Yondaime Takahashiya," opened in August 2021), and a Kawagoe branch ("Yondaime no Unagi," pre-opened in September 2026, taking over the premises of the eel restaurant Fukaiya). The fourth-generation owner, Akihiro Takahashi, leads the brand, which has expanded into online mail-order sales and takeout bento, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ginza branch has been listed in the Michelin Guide Tokyo as a Selected Restaurant for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026) and was selected for Tabelog's Unagi Hyakumeiten 2024. The main store has also been used as a filming location, including a 2021 shoot by photographer Leslie Kee.

Takahashiya was founded in 1868 (the first year of the Meiji era) by Takakichi Takahashi, who opened a restaurant under the name "Fujiki Shibuntei." The Takahashi family is said to descend from the Muromachi Mitsui family. In 1910, when the post-town of Sugito-juku was bustling with many inns and the cherry trees along the east exit of Sugito Station (now Tobu Dobutsu Koen Station) were in bloom, the founder began a tatami-room and delivery-only shop at the foot of the Furukawa bridge and changed the name to "Takahashiya." The eel tempura for which the restaurant is known is said to have originated when the first generation fried young eel caught in the Otone River flowing in front of the shop; it is now designated a Sugito Town recommended souvenir. In 1929 the main store moved to its current address, adding a tranquil garden, second-floor tatami rooms, and a forty-tatami main hall on the first floor. In 1976 a dining area with table seating was added, and the menu expanded beyond river fish to include sea fish so that guests could dine more casually. In 2010 the restaurant began vacuum-packed online mail-order sales. In 2020, as COVID-19 spread, it focused on takeout bento and used social media, while continuing nationwide delivery of vacuum-packed eel. In August 2021, the brand opened "Ginza Yondaime Takahashiya" in Ginza 4-chome, Chuo Ward, Tokyo. The Ginza branch was created through a collaboration between fourth-generation owner and head chef Akihiro Takahashi — whose cuisine is based on the Mitsui zaibatsu and the ryotei "Matsu no Chaya" — and chef Tanaka, who trained at three restaurants: Takahashiya main store, Ginza Koju, and France Paris Okuda. In September 2023 the Ginza branch was listed in the Michelin Guide New Selection; in December 2023 it was selected for the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2024 as a Selected Restaurant; in October 2024 it was selected for Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025; and in September 2025, with the announcement of Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026, it was selected for the third consecutive year. In 2024 the Ginza branch received a bronze prize at the International Architecture & Design Awards 2024 by Architecture & Design Community, and was selected for Tabelog's Unagi Hyakumeiten 2024. In September 2026, the brand took over the premises of the eel restaurant Fukaiya and pre-opened the Kawagoe branch "Yondaime no Unagi" in Nakacho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. The main store has been used as a filming location, including a November 2021 shoot by photographer Leslie Kee. The brand has appeared on numerous television programs and radio shows, and has been featured in publications such as Otona no Shumatsu, the Nihon Youshoku Shimbun, Saitama Shimbun, and Chuo Koron Shinsha's Ryudo Dochu Ki.

• 2026

  Pre-opened Kawagoe branch 'Yondaime no Unagi' in Nakacho, Kawagoe, taking over the premises of eel restaurant Fukaiya (September 11).

• 2025

  Ginza branch selected for Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026 Selected Restaurant for the third consecutive year (September).

• 2024

  Ginza branch received bronze at International Architecture & Design Awards 2024 and was selected for Tabelog Unagi Hyakumeiten 2024; listed in Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025 (October).

• 2023

  Ginza branch listed in Michelin Guide New Selection (September) and Michelin Guide Tokyo 2024 Selected Restaurant (December).

• 2021

  Opened 'Ginza Yondaime Takahashiya' in Ginza 4-chome, Chuo Ward, Tokyo (August 14).

• 2021

  Main store used as a filming location for a shoot by photographer Leslie Kee (November).

• 2020

  Focused on takeout bento and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 2016

  Recognized as one of the Unagi Hyakusen (Top 100 Eel) restaurants.

• 2014

  Recognized as one of Saitama S-grade Gourmet TOP30 restaurants.

• 2010

  Began vacuum-packed online mail-order sales.

• 1976

  Added a dining area with table seating and expanded the menu to include sea fish.

• 1929

  Main store moved to its current address in Sugito.

• 1910

  Opened a tatami-room and delivery-only shop at the foot of Furukawa bridge in Sugito-juku and renamed it 'Takahashiya'.

• 1868

  Founded by Takakichi Takahashi under the name 'Fujiki Shibuntei'.

Traditional, high-end unagi kappo restaurant brand emphasizing natural domestic eel, a secret 150-year-old tare, charcoal grilling, and refined Japanese hospitality in a garden setting.

• Kabayaki

  Grilled eel glazed with a secret tare passed down for about 150 years, cooked over binchotan charcoal.

• Unaju

  Grilled eel served over rice in a lacquered box.

• Eel Tempura

  A signature dish originating with the founder, designated a Sugito Town recommended souvenir.

• Vacuum-packed eel

  Mail-order kabayaki limited to 100 servings per day.

• Yondaime Gozen

  A mini kaiseki course recommended by the fourth generation.

1. 1うなぎ(鰻,ウナギ)割烹料理の髙橋屋takahashiya.org
2. 2Takahashiya - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3髙橋屋 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org