Unagi Yosakura

Unagi Yosakura is a Japanese restaurant on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, that serves hitsumabushi. The venue represents the first Ho Chi Minh City branch of the Japanese Yosakura brand. It occupies the first two floors of a multi-story building along the street. A dedicated glass-fronted rice kitchen on the facade displays the cooking process to passersby.

The kitchen centers its menu on Nagoya-style hitsumabushi and unadon bowls. Cooks grill freshwater Japanese eel over charcoal with a sweet tare glaze. The restaurant cooks its rice in traditional hagama cast-iron pots for each service. A signature set combines grilled eel, sliced wagyu beef, egg yolk, and salmon roe.

Diners eat the hitsumabushi in sequential stages using wooden bowls. Guests sample the eel plain first to taste the char and sauce. Next, diners mix in nori seaweed, chopped scallions, and fresh wasabi. Finally, diners pour hot dashi broth over the remaining rice to create chazuke.

The dining room features warm wood paneling, minimalist seating, and soft ambient lighting. A ground-floor counter lines the open kitchen, while the upper floor houses private dining tables. Osaka design studio MOTON created the interior space using muted earth tones. The menu also lists unajū sets, unagi tamagoyaki, and citrus yuzu desserts. Unagi Yosakura operates alongside sister locations across Japan and in Hanoi. The restaurant caters to small parties and solo diners seeking formal Japanese eel meals.