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Last updated on May 16th, 2026

Maruya Honten Nagoya is a renowned restaurant known for its Hitsumabushi dish, beloved by locals. Savor the Hitsumabushi in 3 different ways!

Hitsumabushi is considered one of the best regional dishes in Nagoya. The grilled unagi (freshwater eel) is served over a bed of rice and is a specialty of Aichi prefecture.

During our recent visit to Japan, we stopped at Nagoya before heading to the next destination. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to try Hitsumabushi. This time we went to Maruya Honten, and the food was amazing. It was one of the best bowls of eel rice ever. Whatever style it was served in, the eel was cooked perfectly and flavorful.

For more details, you can continue reading my food review on Maruya Honten, one of the best places to savor the mouthwatering Hitsumabushi in Nagoya.

Nagoya Hitsumabushi – Maruya Honten

The popular Nagoya Hitsumabushi Maruya Honten has many branches in Nagoya. The most convenient for travelers will be the store located on the Taiko-dori side of Nagoya Station or the Maruya Honten Meieki Branch in Nagoya Station.

Maruya Honten – JR Nagoya Station store (まるや本店　JR名古屋駅店)
Address: 〒450-0002 Aichi, Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Meieki, 1 Chome−1−4 名古屋うまいもん通り.
Business Hour: Daily from 11:00 to 22:00

Maruya (まるや本店　名駅店)
Address: 〒450-0002 Aichi, Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Meieki, 1 Chome−2−1 名鉄百貨店本館 9F レストラン街.
Business Hour: Daily from 11:00 to 22:00

Official Website: https://www.maruya-honten.com/

We chose to visit the Maruya Honten Meieki Branch located on the 9th floor of the Meitetsu department store at Nagoya Station.

Another popular option to savor the mouthwatering Hitsumabushi in Nagoya is Hitsumabushi Atsuta Houraiken – Read my food review here.

My Visit to Maruya Honten Nagoya

This time, since we were staying at the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel – connected with Nagoya Station, we decided to visit Maruya Honten to try the Hitsumabushi Eel dish.

Maruya Honten is quite famous in Nagoya. When we arrived 30 minutes before the opening time, there was already a line. It’s worth noting that there is no reservation system or system for writing your name down, so we simply had to wait in line. Many locals were waiting in line to taste the mouthwatering Hitsumabushi.

Fortunately, we managed to get in once the shop opened.

What To Order

They have an English menu so ordering is easy.

Almost every dish was complete with eel. Basically you just need to decide the portion size of the unagi you want. Choose from 3 sizes – mini, regular, deluxe, or the Special Set and you can eating your Hitsumabishi 3 ways. There are also option for 2/3 or 1/2 eel set. A set meal was slightly more than ¥3,000 but it was worth it.

We had the Special Hitsumabushi Set to enjoy the meal fullness.

Hitsumabushi from Maruya Honten

Although there were many people, the food arrived quickly after we ordered.

The presentation was unique, with the rice and eel served in a wooden bowl, presumably traditional. The eel was grilled to a crispy perfection and tasted delicious. It is smoky, hot, and perfectly seasoned flavor that was truly heavenly. It paired wonderfully with the tender Japanese rice.

Eating Hitsumabushi in 3 way

Maruya Honten - The 3 ways to eating Hitsumabushi

The instructions for each way of eating Hitsumabushi are conveniently listed in the menu, making it easy to follow and savor the dish. Just stir the eel and rice in a wooden tub and put the different portions and enjoy it follow the simple steps.

The Hitsumabushi can be enjoyed in three different ways:

Maruya Honten - Eat Hitsumabushi in Original Way

1) Eat it on its own to taste the original flavor.

Maruya Honten - Eat Hitsumabushi by adding condiments

2) Add condiments such as spring onions, wasabi horseradish, nori-dried laver, and a bit of soy sauce (optional) to taste.

Maruya Honten - Pour Tea to Hitsumabushi

Maruya Honten - Eat Hitsumabushi in o-chazuke way

3) Pour broth over the third portion, similar to o-chazuke (茶漬け) with rice.

The experience of eating Hitsumabushi in three ways was well explained and enjoyable. It was a perfect finish for a perfect meal!

Overall: Maruya Honten Nagoya Food Review

All in all, the Hitsumabushi from Maruya Honten was absolutely delicious, and we really enjoyed the three different ways of eating it. There are numerous places in Nagoya and throughout Japan where you can sample hitsumabushi, and Maruya Honten is definitely one of the best. However, be prepared to wait in line, as this restaurant is extremely popular. Nevertheless, the wait is definitely worth it.

Lastly, trying hitsumabushi is a must if you find yourself in Nagoya. If we ever visit Nagoya again, we will definitely return to Maruya Honten to try their unagi rice bowl.

If you enjoyed this Nagoya food post, you could also read about other Nagoya travel guide including Nagoya itinerary planning, where to stay and what to eat in Nagoya.

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Last updated on May 16th, 2026

Anyone visiting Kobe should make a point to stop by Steakland Kobe-kan and savor the world-famous Kobe beef at an affordable price. The meat is juicy, tender, and simply melts in your mouth!

While in Kobe, trying Kobe beef is a must. Renowned as one of the best beef in the world and considered a delicacy, Kobe beef is pricey and dining at the top restaurants can be challenging. Near the Sannomiya JR Station, there are numerous options for Kobe beef, and we chose to visit Steakland, known for its affordable cuts.

Steakland Kobe offers various grades of steak and their Kobe beef lunch set provides the best value. The meal includes a generous portion of meat, seasoned and cooked right in front of you according to your preference. The accompanying dishes were also excellent.

We visited Steakland as part of my trip to Kobe and was thoroughly impressed. The meal was fantastic, and the beef was exceptional. I highly recommend this place for a delightful meal in a great atmosphere. Be sure to check out Steakland Kobe for affordable Kobe beef Teppanyaki!

Steakland Kobe-kan

Steakland Kobe is a restaurant specializing in Kobe Beef. It is an expansive Kobe beef restaurant that spans multiple floors and offers teppanyaki-style seating, providing everyone with a view of the chef’s skills. The restaurant is easy to spot when walking down the main street of Kobe. It is ideally located in a lively part of the city, just a short walk from either the Kobe Station or the Shin-Kobe Station.

There are two restaurants where you can enjoy affordable Kobe beef at Steakland. They are located close to each other.

While Steakland Kobe may not be the best Kobe beef restaurant in the city, it offers one of the best-value Kobe beef sets in the country. The restaurant is popular and filled with locals and foreigners for good reason. It is one of the best places to enjoy authentic, affordable Kobe beef in Kobe. Although not cheap, the affordable lunch set menu costs only JPY 3,180 for the Kobe beef meal, which is truly a steal!

Steakland Kobekan (ステーキランド神戸館)
Address: 1-9-17, Kitanagasadori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Prefecture, 650-0012
Opening hours: Daily from 11:00 to 13:00, Reopened at 17:00 to 21:00.

Steakland Kobe (ステーキランド神戸店)
Address: 1-8-2, Kitanagasadori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi Miyaba building 1F, 2F
Opening hours: Daily from 11:00 to 22:00 (L.O 21:00)

Nearest Station: 5-minute walk from Sannomiya JR Station

My Food Visit To Steakland Kobe-kan

Steakland Kobe has been popular for years and it looked absolutely enticing, so we decided that this would be our restaurant of choice when looking for Kobe Beef in the city. Note that Steakland reservations can be made by phone; it is highly recommended for larger groups.

When we walked in for Saturday lunch without a reservation, we saw a long line of people waiting at the lift lobby. The queues can be really long during lunch, so we recommend coming early to avoid crowds.

There are no instructions on what to do, but eventually we figured out that we need to get a queue number from a machine near the entrance of the restaurant. There is a seating area for diners to wait for the numbers. We waited for around 30 minutes before our number got called.

Following the group, we were next seated at a teppanyaki grill and table. This was a large U-shaped table with seating around the centered grill and a central opening for the chef to stand and cook.

Steakland Kobe Menu

We were presented with a lunch set menu featuring a wide selection of beef dishes. The lunch sets range in price from ¥1,200 for the steak lunch to ¥4,500 for the Kobe tender beef set meal. The tender beef had a higher marbling and was more tender.

Each set includes a generous portion of vegetables (bean sprouts), garlic, rice, soup, and your choice of orange juice or coffee to complement the succulent steak, which is cooked to your preference by skilled chefs. It’s important to note that the drink is served at the end of the meal.

Regardless of the set you select, you’ll receive a substantial, mouthwatering steak that remains tender even when cooked right in front of you in teppanyaki style.

Kobe Beef in Teppanyaki-Style

Best place to eat Kobe Beef - Steakland with Teppanyaki-style

After we placed our order, there was a brief wait for the preparation.

Shortly thereafter, our skilled chef appeared and made a humble introduction. He then meticulously cleaned the hot plate and proceeded to grill sliced garlic to crispy perfection. This was followed by a delightful combination of bean sprouts, and greens.

Steakland Kobe - Garlic Chips in Teppanyaki Style

Lastly, the Kobe beef. We were given the choice of having our steak cooked rare or medium rare. The chef at Steakland Kobe demonstrated exceptional precision as he expertly sliced, diced, and prepared each piece of meat to perfection, tailored to our exact preferences.

Affordable Kobe Beef

Kobe Beef refers to Wagyu beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle raised in Hyogo Prefecture. It is considered one of Japan’s top three beef brands, revered for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Quality like that comes at a price, with customers typically paying around ¥10,000-¥20,000 for one certified Kobe Beef steak.

The Steakland Kobe menu, especially the lunch set, offers a great opportunity to try affordable Kobe beef. Since this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we both chose the Kobe Beef set. We chose the Kobe beef steak set and found it to be relatively good value for the money. The chef will cook the steak in front of you in teppanyaki style.

The Meat and The Taste

It was a delight to watch the chef prepare the Kobe Beef right in front of us at Steakland. We had been eagerly anticipating that first bite for a long time, so I was a bit worried that it might not live up to my expectations.

Fortunately, we were not disappointed at all. The first bite was truly amazing.

The medium-rare Kobe beef steak was flavorful and practically melted in our mouths. The taste was outstanding, and the texture was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Personally, I prefer a bit more fat, but considering the price and the way it was cooked, it was still enjoyable as part of the set meal. Overall, the Kobe Beef experience was everything I had hoped for and more.

We also tried the garlic chips and bean sprouts, which were served as sides. The garlic chips added a nice subtle flavor and were great to munch on, while the bean sprouts were crisp and juicy.

The Drawback

While the staff are efficient and doing their best to serve us, the service is not up to the Japanese standard. Our afte-meal drink was delaye and we had to remind the staff to bring it to us.

If you prefer a more private dining experience, Steakland Kobe-kan may not be the best choice for you. Random guests are seated together at the teppanyaki table to maximize seating capacity.

Additionally, since it’s a teppanyaki style restaurant where the chef cooks in front of you, it may not be the best environment for infants or small children. The atmosphere can be smoky and greasy, and the slippery floor was a real downside.

Overall: Steakland Kobe Food Review

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Steakland Kobe-kan. The Kobe beef was excellent, but everything else was mediocre. There are plenty of other Kobe beef places in the same area, but they come with a much higher price tag. I’m not sure if we could have gotten a better meal elsewhere compared to Steakland. Considering the price, we left happy.

Lastly, traveling to Kobe and other interesting places in the Kansai region? If you are interested, please read about our visit to Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Uji, and Kobe.

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Maruya Honten Nagoya: Popular Hitsumabushi Restaurant