Matsuya Official Tries the 1,880-Yen 'Double Eel Combo Beef Bowl' on the Day of the Ox

Matsuya’s official X account (@matsuya_foods) posted a photo on the evening of July 26, saying it had eaten the “Eel Combo Beef Bowl Double” in honor of the Day of the Ox. Captioned “A Sunday indulgence” and “Delicious,” the post had the official account itself enjoying eel on the day of the Day of the Ox.

The 1,880-Yen Double Chosen for a “Sunday Indulgence”

In the photo, two pieces of kabayaki-style eel, grilled to a teriyaki glaze, sit on a white bowl, with beef bowl behind them and miso soup and a sachet of sauce alongside. The Eel Combo Beef Bowl pairs eel with a Beef Bowl. The base version costs 1,180 yen, the Double with two pieces of eel costs 1,880 yen, and the Triple with three pieces costs 2,580 yen. The one tried this time is the middle option, the Double with two pieces of eel.

The “July 26” Named in the Announcement

The Eel Combo Beef Bowl is part of the Grilled Eel Bowl series that Matsuya released on June 23. Six eel items launched at the same time, including the Grilled Eel Bowl, Grilled Eel Plate, Fluffy Egg Grilled Eel Bowl, Fluffy Egg Grilled Eel Plate and Eel and Beef Plate, and all of them are still on sale.

The announcement of the launch stated the date outright: “This year’s Day of the Ox is July 26.” The official account’s eating-report post was therefore published on that very day. Matsuya says it has changed the names and style of its eel bowls each year, and calls this year’s series its “8th sale.”

A Step-by-Step Run of Posts, from Announcement to Eating Report

This year’s Day of the Ox communications have built up in stages, starting with the June 23 launch announcement. On July 16, the takeout-only “Grilled Eel Bowl Bento Set” appeared with advance reservations through Matsuben Net, and on July 20 the Matsuya App-exclusive “Grilled Eel Bowl Point Boost Campaign” began (100 Matsuya Points for three items including the Grilled Eel Bowl, July 21 to 27).

The official X account also kept posting right up to the day, with a teaser on the evening of July 25 saying “Tomorrow is the Day of the Ox” and a same-day post at midday on the 26th saying “Today is the Day of the Ox!!” While those announcements were grouped under the general term “Grilled Eel Bowl,” this eating-report post was the one that clearly named the Eel Combo Beef Bowl as a product.

The Current Version of the “Combo Beef Bowl” Category

The “Combo Beef Bowl” is a category that combines a Beef Bowl with one more item. It once included the Chicken Combo Beef Bowl (790 yen) and the Seared Mayo Spicy Chicken Combo Beef Bowl (890 yen), but both disappeared in April, and the 1,180-yen Eel Combo Beef Bowl topped with eel has succeeded them as the current version. Because it uses eel, its price is set higher than the category’s past lineup. Since its debut on June 23, the price and contents have remained unchanged heading into the Day of the Ox.