Not so many years ago, unagi, the humble freshwater eel, was considered a plebeian pleasure — a delicacy fit for Tokyo's townsfolk rather than rarefied levels of society. Much has changed. This once-lowly fish now commands high-end prices worthy of even the most upscale parts of town. This meant that few eyebrows were raised when a branch of Fujita opened in the well-heeled Shirokanedai neighborhood.
It fits perfectly. Fujita is a venerable ryōtei (traditional high-class restaurant) based in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan's de facto unagi capital, thanks to the eel farms in nearby Lake Hamanako. The restaurant already has a branch in western Tokyo; now it has arrived in the center of the city.
Occupying the third floor of a new building overlooking Shirokanedai’s main boulevard, Gaien-Nishi-dori (a.k.a. "Platinum Avenue"), Fujita exudes quiet refinement. From the snow-white noren curtain at the entrance to the soft soundtrack of koto music and the okami (proprietor) who pads around in kimonoed finery, all is soothingly elegant.