JAPANKURU: *::UNKNOWN PLEASURES::* Special Japanese Summer Custom☆ミ A Day to Eat Yummy Eel, "Unagi-no-Hi"

🙨Let's Eat Eel Today🙨

For the Midsummer Day of the Ox
(Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi, 土用の丑の日)

☼ Special Japanese Summer Custom ☼

A Day to Eat Yummy Eel, "Unagi-no-Hi"

✳🍣✳✳🍣✳✳🍣✳✳🍣✳✳🍣✳✳🍣✳✳🍣✳✳🍣✳

*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥˚❁*̩̩̥ ͙*̩̩̥⚛*̩̩̥˚̩͙

First things first, what is it?

∈(ﾟ◎ﾟ)∋

Japanese customarily eat eel to regain energy and stamina

and to alleviate suffering from the summer heat

on the day known as the Midsummer Day of the Ox

(Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi, 土用の丑の日),

which traditionally falls around the end of July

on the ancient Japanese calendar.

The basic idea of doyo comes from Onmyo Gogyo

which links together the theory of ying and yang

with the principle that everything can be divided into five elements;

earth, fire, wood, gold, and water.

Which basically implies the reasoning is mixed with Chinese mythology.

Eating eel during the hot summer months

was started by the well-known scholar!

It's said that the Japanese custom of eating eel

during the hot summer months was started by a well-known scholar

in the Edo-period,

Gennai Hiraga.

Now, it's said the actual BEST time, or season, to eat eel is the winter.

Which put eel shop owners in trouble on the off season,

particularly the summer.

So Gennai Hiraga suggested to a troubled eel shop owner

to hang a sign outside of the restaurant telling people it was

"The Day of the Ox" (ushi no hi)

so they should eat good beginning with a "u"

to escape the heat (eel = unagi).

ᗘWhy Eat It?ᗛ

Who likes eel (Unagi)?!

Well, we do!
There are also many famous people
in Japanese history and culture
that loves eel!
For example:

① Natsume Souseki 1867-1916

② Saito Mokichi 1882-1953

③ Mori Ougai 1862-1922

④ Takamura Koutaro 1883-1956

⑤ Take Yutaka 1963-

⑥ Mikawa Kenichi 1946-

and much much more!

Why do people love eel?
Because it's light and it's not fishy in any way,
not to mention it contains LOADS of vitamin D.
In many countries you can eat eel,
but none prepared like how they're done in Japan.

Many people say eel is very sweet and smooth,
similar to why they love salmon.
It's understandable why those who haven't had eel before
would feel otherwise though.
It has a creepy looking face and looks like
it'd be slimy...we don't wanna eat tho!

There are many different ways for eel to be prepared though.

(Above 1-6 pictures and list source: Naver)

ᗘHow to Serve It?ᗛ