Eat Japanese eel- Japanese Home Cooking and Sweets Class in Tokyo

Eat Japanese eel- Japanese Home Cooking and Sweets Class in Tokyo

Doyō no Ushi no Hi” refers to the Day of the Ox that falls during the Doyō period. It usually refers to the summer Doyō no Ushi no Hi and is well known for the custom of eating eel.

Simple explanation

Doyō is the approximately 18-day period before Risshun, Rikka, Risshū, and Rittō, the starts of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.shun-gate+1
Ushi no Hi is the Day of the Ox in the traditional zodiac-based calendar.shun-gate+1
In other words, it means the Day of the Ox during a seasonal transition period.

Eat Japanese eel- Japanese Home Cooking and Sweets Class in Tokyo

Grilled eel liver dish

Why eel is eaten

The custom of eating eel on Doyō no Ushi no Hi became popular as a way to nourish the body and help people endure the summer heat.nippon+1
A well-known theory says that in the Edo period, Hiraga Gennai advised an eel shop to put up a sign saying, “Today is Doyō no Ushi no Hi,” and the idea became widely known.
The promotion worked, and the habit of eating eel in summer became established.

Eat Japanese eel- Japanese Home Cooking and Sweets Class in Tokyo

Here is my favorite neighborhood eel restaurant in Tokyo

Extra note

Depending on the year, Doyō no Ushi no Hi may occur once or twice during the Doyō period.
In 2026, the summer Doyō no Ushi no Hi is July 26, Sunday.