Tradition is comforting, no matter whose culture it is. We eat plum pudding for Christmas, mochi at New Year and moon cakes to mark the Autumn Festival. We throw beans at setsubun and, on Valentines' Day, we will gladly accept as much chocolate as comes our way.
But when the Day of the Ox comes round at the end of this month, on July 28, we will not be feasting on unagi like the rest of Japan's populace. That's not because we aren't partial to the tender white flesh of grilled eel. Quite the opposite -- in fact we indulge year-round. Nor do we disdain the claims that it combats lethargy and debilitation in the dog days of midsummer (or any other time, for that matter).
No, the main reason that we put all cravings for eel on hold on that particular day is that our favorite purveyors are always so popular it's impossible to get inside the door. If you've ever visited Hatsuogawa, you will understand entirely.