On my way to Kamikochi, I stopped by Matsumoto for a stroll the day before. While the national treasure Matsumoto Castle was magnificent, the castle town itself was equally charming! With the Northern Alps as a backdrop, the retro streets harmoniously blend with new cafes and craft shops, creating a cozy atmosphere that I absolutely loved.After a day of sightseeing, I was eager to enjoy some delicious food, so I visited Yamasei, a renowned eel restaurant that I had reserved in advance through Tabelog.The restaurant opened in 2017, but I learned it relocated to its current spot in April 2023. It’s situated in Higashimachi, an area that retains remnants of the old samurai residence streets, and it’s a renovated traditional house turned into a restaurant.As I stepped through the noren (fabric curtain), I was greeted by a beautiful view of the courtyard at the back. The warm, wooden counter and spacious table seating created a cozy yet elegant atmosphere that was incredibly inviting.The owner, Mr. Tominaga, is a local who trained in eel cuisine at a restaurant in Akasaka. Interestingly, he graduated from art school and initially aimed to become a furniture craftsman at Matsumoto Folk Craft Furniture. No wonder the interior design is so tasteful! He was very friendly and even showed me around the garden after my meal, sharing various stories.Mr. Tominaga uses eel and soft-shelled turtle from Hamamatsu, and while he prepares the eel in the Kanto style (butterflied), he employs a high-temperature grilling method without steaming, similar to the Kansai style. He explained that grilling at high temperatures helps to remove excess fat while allowing the remaining fat to enhance the flavor and sweetness of the eel. I was excited to try it!For dinner, there were two options: an eel course (JPY 19,800) or an eel and soft-shelled turtle course (JPY 26,400), but I opted for the eel-only course.As I quenched my thirst with a beer, the owner asked, "Would you like to try some soft-shelled turtle as well?" I replied, "Yes," and he said, "Great! I have some good soft-shelled turtle, so I’ll serve you a little bit!" I ended up getting both the eel course and the soft-shelled turtle at the price of the eel course—what a lucky surprise!Here’s what I enjoyed:◯ Asparagus from Shiojiri with Parmigiano◯ Grilled liver◯ Grilled soft-shelled turtle (from Hamamatsu)◯ Boiled bracken◯ White grilled eel (female eel from Hamamatsu)◯ Eel salad◯ Soft-shelled turtle soup◯ Eel rice bowlThe large, juicy boiled asparagus with Parmigiano was a great way to start, but I was completely blown away by the grilled liver! Wrapped in the tender skin and with the loin, it was incredibly rich and delicious, with a perfect balance of textures!The grilled soft-shelled turtle was so delicious that I couldn’t stop savoring it! The meat around the pelvis was grilled to perfection, with crispy skin and plenty of gelatinous collagen surrounding the bones, giving me the sensation of eating juicy thigh meat, but even richer and more flavorful!The eel salad was a delightful combination of crispy yet chewy eel, canola flowers, myoga, green onions, and vinegar, creating a perfect marriage of flavors.The star of the show, the eel, was served as both white grilled eel and eel rice bowl, and the cooking was just perfect—crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I could definitely taste the rich flavor and sweetness of the fat! The sauce was light with a hint of soy sauce sharpness, yet it had a gentle sweetness that paired wonderfully with the eel and rice. It was absolutely delicious!I was completely satisfied!It was a great meal!