With record-breaking summer heat on the forecast, Hotel New Otani Osaka's seasonal Japanese restaurant Isshin (季処「一心」) is launching a special "Premium Unagi Collection" from July 18 to 31, 2026. Featuring premium domestic eel selected for its rich fat content and prepared using the hotel's signature Edo-style steaming technique, the lineup offers a refined summer dining experience for those seeking to revitalize with real, quality food.
Premium Eel Sourced from Kagoshima's Osumi Peninsula
Eel has long been a cornerstone of Japanese summer eating — prized not just for its rich flavor but for its high concentrations of vitamins A, B, and D, its fatigue-recovery properties, and its effects on blood circulation. Isshin sources its unagi from the Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, which leads Japan in eel production, raising them in pristine underground water. Each eel is assessed individually before being steamed using the hotel's traditional Edo-style method, creating an artful contrast of fluffy, tender flesh, a crispy and fragrant skin, and juicy, dripping fat.
Three Premium Unagi Dishes
Unaju (Eel Rice Box)
The classic preparation: eel coated generously in the restaurant's house tare — a secret sauce built up over years, incorporating eel bones and other ingredients. The mochi-like texture of the eel and its deep, layered richness pair beautifully with domestic Koshihikari rice fully soaked in the sauce, delivering a lingering finish with every bite.
¥10,000 (Premium) / ¥7,000 (Standard)
Includes pickles and liver soup. Service charge not included.
Unagi Mabushi Ishiyaki (Stone-Grilled Eel)
Domestic eel grilled crispy on a hot stone, served with fragrant sansho pepper for a vivid aroma and satisfying sizzle that engages all the senses. Enjoy it as is, or try it hitsumabushi-style — with dashi broth, condiments, and varying combinations — to experience the dish in multiple ways.
¥8,000 / Small ¥4,700
Includes pickles, condiments, and premium dashi. Service charge not included.
Unaju Kaiseki (Eel Full-Course Meal)
A kaiseki course built around both shiroyaki (salt-grilled eel) and kabayaki (sauce-glazed eel in the unaju style), ideal for dedicated eel enthusiasts. The meal can also be enjoyed hitsumabushi-style with condiments and dashi broth, offering a variety of flavor combinations throughout.
¥14,000 (service charge not included)
Course menu:
- Starter: Seasonal appetizer platter
- Warm dish: Steamed eel custard
- Sashimi: Seasonal selection
- Grilled: Shiroyaki (half portion) and braised eel liver with sansho
- Vinegared dish: Seasonal sunomono
- Rice: Mini unaju or unagi mabushi (+¥1,000)
- Soup: Liver soup
- Dessert: Peach and lemon compote jelly
Mizore-Zake: the Perfect Summer Pairing
Alongside the eel menu, Isshin is offering mizore-zake — a visually refreshing style of sake served semi-frozen — to complement the richness of the dishes. With a crisp, just-pressed character that melts softly on the palate, releasing a mellow umami and delicate aroma, it is a quintessential summer pairing.
- Hakutsuru Josen Namachozo: ¥1,200
- Hakutsuru Junmai Daiginjo: ¥2,500
Service charge not included.
Details
Hotel New Otani Osaka — Isshin (季処「一心」)
Dates: July 18 (Sat) to July 31 (Fri), 2026
Hours: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM (last order 8:30 PM)
Location: Hotel New Otani Osaka B1F, 1-4-1 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
For reservations and inquiries, contact Isshin directly at 06-6949-3296.
