To become an Unagi master

What would i need to be allowed to become unagi master in Japan.

Obviously i think i need to be proficient in japanese, but what else?

I just assume it must be possible because i also heard of people becoming Sushi Chefs in Japan .

What exactly do you mean by 'unagi master'? Do you mean a chef who cooks unagi?

If so, I don't believe that there are any specific qualifications required, so most chefs who could be considered masters at cooking/preparing unagi will simply have spent many years doing so and perfecting their trade.

Once you've learned nihongo to an acceptable standard and have a suitable visa, get a job in a decent unagi restaurant and then spend the rest of your life becoming better and better at what you do. Eventually, you may well become an unagi master.

Yes unagi Chef i wanted to become, but its quite complicated i would Imagine .

So i guess if i Master nihongo i would not get a Visa for becoming an unagi Chef??

Mastering a language only allows you to communicate with people living in that country; it doesn't give you a work visa.

Is it even possible to get a work Visa for becoming an unagi Chef?

Are you a trained chef in your country?

As a non-Japanese, if you get trained in professionally cooking cuisines of your country, possibly build up some work experience in restaurants in your country, and if you find employment offer in a restaurant of your cuisine in Japan, you might be able to get a work visa for work in that restaurant.

But you don't get a work visa "for becoming an unagi chef." I don't think there is a vocational training school for that (so no "student" visa), and if you want to learn the skills at an unagi restaurant, that is not cuisine of your country (so no work visa).

The only thing I can think of (if you are a trained chef in your country) is finding employment with a restaurant of your country's cuisine in Japan, then finding an unagi restaurant owner who is willing to let you help for free to learn the skills on the weekend or something like that.

Theoretically you can become a Unagi chef without coming to Japan. I have heard many non-Japanese open Sushi restaurant in their country without coming to Japan. Some of them learn how to make Sushi on Youtube, books etc. You can say it's Sushi when you put on something on the cooked rice, or even you can say it's Sushi because something is put on something. Therefore there are many types of Sushi around the world.

The difference for Unagi is it is something more strict: You must cut up the Unagi meat from the bone, and then pierce the skewer and then grill the Unagi. This is very difficult task. Some Japanese people make Sushi at home, but I have never heard people making Unagi no Kabayaki at home. To be a Unagi chef, young Japanese works at Unagi restaurant as a trainee for some years. It is said in Japan, Kushi-Uchi 3 nen Saki 8 nen Yaki Isshou, meaning 3 years training for piercing skewers, 8 years for cutting, and the rest of your life for grilling Unagi. Therefore it is rather difficult to be a Unagi chef without working as a trainee.

I don't say it's impossible, rather I hope you can do it, but as mentioned above, you will have some difficulties in staying in Japan as a trainee. In general Japan government is welcoming trained foreign people so if you contact the Japanese embassy in your country they might suggest some route for you. But honestly it is more difficult than becoming a Sushi chef (there are some schools in Japan and you can study and stay in Japan).

Yes you are right about the Sushi part, sadly in my country if staff speaks japanese the Sushi is still horrible.


But yes i know Unagi takes really long to learn, there was an interesting documentary about it on Japanese.

But its something i could imagine i really enjoy doing.

Anyhow thanks for the advise.

In a documentary a japanese cook once said the taste in japan comes from the cut.

I Never understood, but now were in japanese town visiting all tourist traps and eating bad Sushi i realise its so true.

but I have never heard people making Unagi no Kabayaki at home.
I don't think so as one of amature fisherman, so actually not so rare, just depends on region and timing.
Most Unagi are imported and one of farm fish already you know is also right.
https://youtu.be/fLwoCxvvzNQ
https://youtu.be/rcS0ctx8x6o
https://youtu.be/orobiuVwPCw
https://youtu.be/NMufQmDsDrg
https://youtu.be/iYivWivFNa4
http://blog.livedoor.jp/cyprislisp/archives/51855113.html

So, just we cannot find and fish/catch them(Natural one) so easy,
but they are really living in nearest rivers, even in such small canals and upstreams.
https://youtu.be/Z6gusTwlaOc
https://youtu.be/z0WznsLLzUs
https://youtu.be/3NyRoiKEDX8
https://youtu.be/nq_DVU-Jww4

Why do not you try challenging next season?
Of course, can not tell where to catch it in Japan.
Oops, if you do not touch worms etc, you can not do it.

@ Itsmeagain
I do not know where your country is,
but if you got "catfishes" easier, you can cook something of close taste.
It will be a bit savory, have to take the smell of body perfectly, though.
https://youtu.be/euZOnrVbudg
https://youtu.be/BGZmyFKW2IM
"Catfish" is called "Namazu" in Japan,
also "Namazu restaurant" exist like Unagi, but very rare.
https://www.city.yoshikawa.saitama.jp/index.cfm/26,48580,165,831,html
In modern Japan it is not customary to eat catfish,
but the catch of eels has declined in recent years,
so its popularity has come up as a "temporary" substitute fish.
https://youtu.be/Xk8Hqv3dGS8

catfish is a nice idea, but unagi has that mythical and legendary quality. If you see how that fish fights when it goes up a wall. I dont want to substitute this royal fish for something inferior.

Nalice,

Thank you for enlighten me. I didn't think there are movies showing amateur fisherman make Unagi no Kabayaki :). Though I am OK with worms, but I am not so patient to be a fisherman.

I searched on the net and found that there is a Unagi cooking class in Uji, Kyoto.

https://tabica.jp/travels/185

This is run by a fish store/Unagi restaurant where you can cook Unagi by yourself with the instruction of the Unagi chef. You may be able to find some hint how to become a Unagi chef there.

Thanks to both of you for patiently helping me.

Thx to everyone else as well.