Unagi
Festival

In Japan, some traditions are written into the calendar — and midsummer belongs to unagi. Doyō no Ushi no Hi, the Day of the Ox, falls during the year's most sweltering stretch, when energy runs low and the heat feels relentless. For centuries, the Japanese have turned to freshwater eel to carry them through — rich, grilled, and deeply restorative. This year, the tradition arrives with Chef Shinichiro Takagi — two Michelin stars, master of kaiseki at Kanazawa's legendary Zeniya, and one of Japan's most celebrated culinary voices. His first Food Concert at Bentoville Food Theater: a curated unagi feast.