KOBANTEN: Savor Exquisite Nagoya Cuisine and Unique Dishes

Aichi Prefecture is renowned for its artisanal crafts and cuisine rooted in traditional fermentation known as “hakko”. As the prefecture's main city, Nagoya serves as the central hub showcasing these regional specialties. However, venturing beyond Nagoya offers a deeper understanding of their origins.

For example, Nagoya's famous hitsumabushi features eel sourced from coastal cities like Nishio, which borders Mikawa Bay. The Isshiki district of Nishio is particularly renowned for its thriving eel farming industry. The eel from Isshiki is celebrated for its high quality and rich fat content.

To savor dishes made with this exceptional eel, visit KOBANTEN, a Japanese restaurant in Hekinan City that prominently features Isshiki eel in its cuisine. This restaurant can be easily reached in about 15 minutes on foot from Hekinanchuo Station, accessible via the Meitetsu Line.

Beloved by locals for special occasions, its reputation expanded beyond Hekinan after receiving a Michelin Guide Aichi listing in 2019.

Japanese Cuisine KOBANTEN: History and Features

Mikawa Bay. Photo by Pixta

KOBANTEN, a Japanese restaurant that offers hitsumabushi, various types of unagi dishes, and sophisticated kaiseki cuisine, sources its ingredients locally from the Mikawa Bay region, ensuring an authentic and flavorful experience. 

Founded in 1920, the restaurant highlights the region's famous unagi, seafood like sea bream and Spanish mackerel, and agricultural products such as figs and carrots. Its location in Hekinan, a city known for its mirin and white soy sauce, further enhances KOBANTEN's commitment to regional flavors.

KOBANTEN's head chef, Osada Kenta, brings a unique blend of tradition and innovation to his cooking. Trained in Kobe and other Japanese cities, he honors his family's culinary heritage while exploring new methods to highlight seasonal, local ingredients. 

The inspiration for the meals served at KOBANTEN stems from Hekinan's cultural practice of preparing elaborate communal meals for ceremonies and celebrations. Dishes like pressed sushi, chirashi sushi, and simmered specialties exemplify the region's spirit of hospitality.

A meal at KOBANTEN is a true celebration of Japanese culinary artistry. Whether you choose kaiseki, unagi, or a set meal, each course is a jewel-like presentation of rich, authentic flavors, capturing the essence of the freshest ingredients. 

Beyond taste, the restaurant excels in visual presentation, with vibrant colors and thoughtfully chosen tableware enhancing every dish.

Signature Menus at KOBANTEN: Charcoal-grilled Hitsumabushi and Unagi Dishes

Picture courtesy of Japanese cuisine KOBANTEN

In Japan, unagi is highly regarded for its rich nutritional content, and it's customary to eat it especially in August to combat the intense summer heat. 

KOBANTEN, with its century-long history, showcases unagi in a variety of preparations, such as charcoal-grilled hitsumabushi, unaju (grilled unagi on rice), kabayaki (skewered eel grilled using a soy-based sauce), and unagi sushi. The restaurant mainly uses unagi from Nishio City, a well-known eel farming region, but also occasionally selects the highest quality unagi from other parts of Japan.

To bring out the best unagi flavor, KOBANTEN pays careful attention to both the grilling method and the sauce.

[ Video of Kobanten charcoal grilling ]

They craft their sauce from five types of local tamari shoyu (aged soy sauce), high-quality mirin from Hekinan, and granulated sugar, simmering it slowly. The resulting sauce matures for over a month, and its flavor is preserved by continuously adding to the original batch used since the restaurant opened.

To achieve the ideal texture and flavor, Osada Eizo, KOBANTEN's unagi expert, carefully adjusts the heat and charcoal placement based on the season and each eel's unique characteristics, flipping them multiple times. This precise technique results in grilled eel with a glossy glaze, a crisp, crackling skin, and tender, melting flesh.

For a truly memorable unagi experience, choose KOBANTEN's Charcoal-grilled Hitsumabushi. This Nagoya specialty features thinly sliced, grilled eel over rice, traditionally enjoyed in three ways: plain, with green onion and wasabi, or as ochazuke (with hot dashi soup). 

KOBANTEN offers unique toppings like matcha powder and arare rice crackers, creating a variety of flavor experiences with each bite.

We tried the charcoal-grilled eel and it was exceptional, boasting a natural sweetness from the glaze! Each topping offers a unique flavor experience: the wasabi and green onion provide a refreshing zest, the matcha powder adds a subtle, rich bitterness, and the arare crackers deliver a delightful crunch. The ochazuke version stands out, with hot dashi soup mellowing the eel into a delicate, umami-packed porridge.

For travelers seeking a hearty and energizing meal, the Charcoal-grilled Hitsumabushi is an excellent choice. KOBANTEN offers various other unagi dishes, each a flavorful experience in itself.

Original Menus and Flavor Combinations: Seasonal Menus at KOBANTEN

Picture courtesy of Japanese cuisine KOBANTEN

At KOBANTEN, guests can enjoy elegant kaiseki cuisine, perfect for special occasions or a taste of traditional high-quality Japanese dining. They also offer set meals that include a main dish, soup, side dishes, pickles, and dessert. 

For an exceptional flavor journey, consider their seasonal course menus. These chef-designed meals highlight the freshest seasonal ingredients, such as sea bream, fugu (pufferfish), and locally renowned figs. Each seasonal course is available for a limited period of two to three months.

During our visit, we enjoyed Chef Osada's Hatcho Miso Fondue, a collaboration with a local Hatcho miso factory(MARUYA HATCHO MISO in Okazaki city). This seasonal course, offered for only two months in the spring of 2025, featured vegetables, fried items, and unagi eel dipped in a rich, warm Hatcho miso sauce. Unique toppings like cocoa mass, green onions, mustard, and Parmesan were also provided to customize the flavor. 

The highlight was the Hatcho miso itself, a Nagoya specialty fermented from soybeans and salt, and aged for at least two years. Its dark red-brown color and intense umami flavor are distinctive. Okazaki's Hatcho district is renowned for producing this miso.

KOBANTEN's Hatcho Miso Fondue artfully combines regional ingredients in unique ways. The pairing of grilled unagi with Hatcho miso, both intensely flavorful, is unexpectedly balanced by fresh green onions. A sprinkle of mustard or Parmesan further transforms the dish, showcasing the versatility of Nagoya cuisine and the chef's creative approach.

The desserts accompanying KOBANTEN's course menus are also inventive and delightful. Sample unique pairings like vanilla ice cream with fruit and Hatcho miso, or cherry tomato compote with white soy sauce pudding, a treat exclusive to Hekinan, the city of white soy sauce. These exquisite, colorful desserts add a special touch to the meal.

Dining at KOBANTEN is a revelation, showcasing the chef's playful creativity and exceptional skill in preparing each dish. For a truly memorable culinary experience in Nagoya, KOBANTEN should be at the top of your list.

Summary

Our focus this time was Japanese cuisine KOBANTEN, a culinary gem in Hekinan City, a region celebrated for its white soy sauce and mirin. 

We recommend KOBANTEN for experiencing Nagoya's famed hitsumabushi and seasonal courses that showcase the area's finest ingredients. The restaurant provides a wide range of seating, from private table rooms to large tatami rooms, all designed to offer a distinctive Japanese dining atmosphere. Each space is beautifully decorated with Japanese art and seasonal flowers, creating a serene and culturally rich experience.

Unlike the bustling city of Nagoya, Hekinan provides a peaceful atmosphere, allowing visitors to truly savor the cuisine and appreciate the chefs’ artistry.

Access

KOBANTEN is conveniently located a 15-minute walk from Hekinan Chuo Station, accessible via the Meitetsu Line.

Hekinan Chuo is easily reached by train, with a 60-minute journey from Nagoya or a 1 hour and 30-minute journey from Central Japan International Airport, Nagoya (NGO).