hitsumabushi; chopped eel on rice
A Nagoya specialty: grilled eel fillets chopped and served over rice in a wooden container, often eaten in three ways (plain, with condiments, and as ochazuke).
When I come to Nagoya, I want to try hitsumabushi.
Hitsumabushi is enjoyed first as is, then with condiments, and finally as ochazuke.
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms are rare.
Rare kanji spelling; the first character 櫃 means 'chest' or 'container'.
Rare kanji spelling; the second character 塗 means 'paint' or 'coat'.
The name is said to come from 櫃 (hitsu, a wooden container) and まぶす (mabusu, to coat or sprinkle), referring to eel pieces mixed with rice in a wooden tub.