There was much marshland in the vicinity of Urawa during the Edo period and riverside areas inhabited by many river fish bustled with people who enjoyed fishing and other recreational activities. Starting with unagi eel caught in the marshes by these pleasure seekers, it is said that they became widely known for their excellent flavor and that travelers on the Nakasendo Road went out of their way to stop by there.
The local eel resources were completely depleted midway through the Taisho period (1912-26) due to rice paddy cultivation; however, the flavor of traditional "unagi kabayaki" with a history of 200 years continues on as strongly as ever in the Urawa area.
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