Machida is a city of mixed cultures where many people come and go. As you step from the street in front of the station towards the JR Yokohama Line tracks, you gradually begin to smell the savory aroma of sauce.

Opened in 2023, "Taishu Unagi Motoyama Machida Main Store" is a specialty restaurant that offers eel, a high-quality ingredient, at reasonable prices. Its key feature is its affordability, being about half the price of established eel restaurants in Tokyo. It aims to dispel the image of eel as a special occasion treat and offer it as an everyday meal.

Creating an unpretentious shop that prioritizes human connection.

"Taishu Unagi Motoyama Machida Main Store" lives up to its name, thoroughly creating an unpretentious restaurant aimed at the general public. The interior is a calm space incorporating Japanese aesthetics. With counter seats that are easy for solo diners to drop into, and sunken seating where you can stretch your legs, it provides an environment where everyone can relax.

The unpretentious atmosphere is also evident in the style of service. Instead of adopting the touch-panel ordering terminals that are becoming mainstream in restaurants these days, they have opted for an ordering style where staff and customers communicate directly. This reflects the owner's emphasis on human connection.

Although it has only been open for about three years, it has become a popular everyday dining spot for locals and is beginning to firmly establish itself in Machida, a place where diverse people come and go.

The reason for its overwhelming volume and plump flavor

The most popular dish, the premium eel rice bowl, best embodies the concept of "eating your fill of inexpensive eel." As the menu states, it's an "overflowing eel rice bowl," with a whole, thick eel so large that the lid of the bowl won't close when it's served.

The reason for the low prices is that they primarily source Japanese eel juveniles raised under strict control overseas. The owner himself tastes and compares them, and only serves eels of the quality he approves of. The eels are cooked in the Kanto style, steamed and then grilled, resulting in a fluffy texture.

The accompanying sauce is made using a carefully crafted broth from a soy sauce brewery in Kochi with a century of history, and its compatibility with domestically produced rice has been carefully considered. You can enjoy the undeniable deliciousness of a specialty shop at an affordable price.

The menu consists of only four items. A restaurant where you can truly appreciate eel.

The restaurant's commitment to eel is evident in its remarkably limited menu. The food menu consists only of unaju (eel rice bowl), hitsumabushi (eel rice bowl with various toppings), unatoroju (eel and grated yam rice bowl), and large grilled eel liver. This simple structure, which deliberately avoids expanding the choices, is a sign of confidence that customers should focus directly on the eel itself, the star of the show.

Office Motoyama, the company that operates this restaurant, started its business as a mobile food vendor and now runs several yakitori restaurants and other establishments in and around Machida and Sagamihara. The owner, who has a deep understanding of the local people's tastes, specializes in providing truly satisfying eel dishes. The owner's honest approach is reflected in the unpretentious menu.

A reliable restaurant that energizes diverse generations.

In addition to solo diners and locals stopping by after work, the restaurant also attracts customers who travel from afar after seeing online reviews, as well as tourists from overseas. Staff member Kanako Shishikura says, "Many customers are surprised by the size of the bento boxes that are brought to them and can't help but take pictures."

"The atmosphere is calm even in the evenings. We've put a lot of effort into creating a traditional Japanese ambiance, and we want our customers to slowly savor the eel at the end of the day," says Mr. Shishikura. A peaceful time flows by as customers quietly contemplate their eel.

The simple setting and the blissful feeling of savoring high-quality eel. As a reliable dining spot to soothe the fatigue of travel and quietly nourish oneself for tomorrow, it lights a warm light in the Machida night.

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大衆うなぎ もとやま 町田本店 

電話：042-850-9005 
住所：東京都町田市森野1丁目10-9 サンシティ萩原ビル1階 
アクセス：JR・小田急 町田駅から徒歩7分 
HP：https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1327/A132701/13282033/ 

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