Tanaka added that he is focused on what to feed the eels until they reach the juvenile stage. Meanwhile, the industry is facing a shortage of skilled chefs able to expertly skewer and grill eel.

The company came up with a cake modeled after “unaju” (grilled eel on rice) to mark the midsummer day of the ox that falls on July 24 and Aug. 5 this year. The offering is made with Western ...