Hello, this is Emiko.H. 

Today, let’s talk about Unagi (eel).

I’ve heard that thanks to a recent bumper crop,
prices for eel have been dropping.
It’s wonderful news to be able to enjoy such a premium delicacy
at a more affordable price!

This year, the "Midsummer Day of the Ox" (Doyo no Ushi no Hi)
falls on April 21st and May 3rd.
While it is customary to eat eel on this day,
the original tradition suggested that
any food starting with the sound "U" would suffice.
This includes more budget-friendly options like Udon (noodles),
Umeboshi (pickled plums), or Uri (gourd).

So, why did eel become the "gold standard"?
There are various theories,
but the most famous one involves Hiraga Gennai,
an Edo-period "copywriter."
Legend has it he advised an acquaintance
who owned an eel shop to put up a sign saying,
"Today is the Day of the Ox: Eat Eel,"
to boost sales during the slow summer months.
Please take this with a grain of salt, though,
as some say it’s just an urban legend!
It’s fun to consider as a bit of historical entertainment.

Now, let's look at the Kanji for eel: 「鰻」.
As you likely know, the left side is the "fish radical" (Sakana-hen),
seen in familiar characters like 「鮭」 (Salmon) and 「鮪」 (Tuna).
The right side, 「曼」 (Man), has a fascinating origin.
The bottom part represents a "hand,"
and the middle part represents an "eye."
It originally depicted someone stretching their eyelids to apply makeup,
conveying the meaning of "long" or "extended."
Thus, by combining "fish" with "long,"
the character for 鰻—the long, slender fish—was born.

Whether it’s the savory sauce that makes you crave rice or
the elegant Shirayaki (salt-grilled) style preferred by connoisseurs,
eel is truly irresistible.

Inspired by this "U-food" tradition,
I’ve come up with a special limited-time lesson offer!

If you request 10 Kanji characters starting with the sound "U,"
I will send you a 50% OFF coupon for a 10-character custom lesson!

How to join: Simply send me a message saying:
"The 'U' Kanji I want to request are 海 (Umi), 牛 (Ushi)..."
Any Kanji starting with "U" (either Onyomi or Kunyomi readings) is fine!
Examples: 海 (Sea/Umi), 牛 (Cow/Ushi), 馬 (Horse/Uma), 羽 (Feather/U),
運 (Luck/Un), 雨 (Rain/U)... and so on.

If you can't think of 10, I can select the remaining ones for you!

Please note: Kanji not starting with "U" will not qualify for the coupon.

Searching for Kanji is a great form of Active Learning!
I hope you enjoy the process. I look forward to your requests!

Holiday Notice: I will be taking a break for Golden Week from May 1st to May 7th. However, I will still be accepting messages and requests during this time!

Deadline for requests: May 10th, 23:59 (JST).

Coupon Validity: One month from the date of issue.