1. Have you ever seen a live eel? Are there fish markets in Japan where you can buy live eels?
2. Some eels are dangerous, like the electric eel of South America. It lives in fresh water and can produce very strong bursts of electricity to defend itself. Have you ever heard of the electric eel?
3. The Moray eel is a marine eel (it lives in the ocean). They hide in dark caves and holes underwater, and grab fish that swim by. Moray eels can reach a size of twelve meters! Have you ever seen one of these dangerous eels?
4. Some eels are caught for food, like unagi and anago. Do you like the flavor of these edible eels?
5. Which is more expensive, unagi or anago? Are these fish better to buy in the summer or the winter?
6. Eel is a very healthy fish—it contains 100 times more vitamin A than other fish. Do you like to eat fish because it is healthy for you, because it is easy to find in Japan, or because you like the taste?
7. Unagi is a freshwater eel. Do you know what rivers in Japan are best for unagi fishing?
8. How do fishermen catch eels?
9. Do you know about "Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi?" (The day of eating unagi) Do people usually prepare unagi at home on that day, or do they go out to a restaurant?
10. I’ve heard this is celebrated in Urawa – is it also celebrated in other cities? If so where?
11. There is a famous restaurant in Urawa that is 350 years old, has beautiful gardens and small tatami matted rooms. Have you ever eaten in a place like this? (There are other restaurants in castle ruins.)
12. What do people do on Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi day other than eat unagi?
13. Are there other special eating or food holidays in Japan?
14. In America, turkey farmers always make sure there are enough turkeys to sell to people and restaurants for our holiday of Thanksgiving. Do fishermen in Japan make sure they have plenty of unagi for Doyo-no-ushi-no-hi day? Is it ever difficult to find on that day?
15. People claim that unagi gives you stamina, is that true?
16. Is unagi always prepared as kabayaki (grilled crispy and juicy with thick soy and teriyaki sauce) or can you make it other ways? What is the best way to prepare it?
17. Does Unagi always have to be prepared by a professional unagi chef? Some say it takes three years just to learn to prepare the unagi for cooking. Do you think this is a difficult process to learn?
18. Do you know how to prepare a live eel for cooking? Eels are very slippery—how do you cut them? Where did you learn to prepare eel?
19. Anago is marine eel, (Americans call it a "conger eel") which is a leaner version of unagi. It is always boiled first, then grilled. What size anago is best for eating?
20. Are anago bigger than unagi? Are larger eels prepared in a different way?
21. What is the difference between Unagi and Anago? Which is better, in your opinion?
22. Because anago is served with a special eel sauce, so no other dipping sauce or wasabi is needed. Do you know how to make this special anago sauce?
23. Some chefs take the heads of the eels and cook them very slowly in water, shoyu and sugar for several hours. This slow simmering continues until the eel stock (nidashijiru) is reduced (herasu). Do you know how to make other stocks like chicken, beef or dashi?
24. When the sauce is very thick and brown colored, it is brushed on the eel before broiling. Is this the way you like to cook eel? Are there other ways?
25. Edomae sushi (Tokyo style sushi, nigiri sushi) features anago, since it has been found in Tokyo Bay. Do people still fish in Tokyo Bay? Why or why not?
26. Unagi is rarely used in Edomae sushi but is still a very important food in the Japanese diet.
27. Unajyu is broiled eel over steamed rice with special sauce. Have you ever tried unajyu?
28. Many Japanese avoid having unagi and umeboshi (pickled plum) at the same time. Do you like the flavor of umeboshi sauce?
29. It is a superstition called tabeawase that certain combinations of food have bad effect when taken at the same time. Do you believe this is true?
30. A combination of tempura and watermelon is another example of tabeawase. Are there any other foods that should not be eaten together?
31. What is sansho? (A spice eaten with Unagi.)

1. He’s up the creek without a paddle.

2. That guy doesn’t have all his oars in the water.

3. That really took the wind out of his sails.

4. She really lowered the boom on him.

5. Now he’s down in Davy Jones’ locker.

6. Watch our for her…she’s as slippery as an eel.