HOCUS POCUS, a popular specialty donut shop near Nagatacho Station, and Unagi Kitashirakawa, an eel restaurant, are collaborating to offer a limited lineup of "Summer Doyo Donuts" at both locations during the summer doyo period (July 20 to August 6, 2026).
The "Summer Doyo Donuts" lineup features four varieties, each incorporating ingredients associated with eel cuisine, such as eel bones and sansho pepper.
HOCUS POCUS sells full-size donuts at its Nagatacho location, while Unagi Kitashirakawa offers mini donuts—limited to 30 per day—as a complimentary treat for diners after their meal.
Summer Doyo Donut Details
Unagi Polenta
A baked donut combining white chocolate mixed with crushed grilled eel bones and sansho pepper, and a gluten-free dough made from polenta (cornmeal) and rice flour. Enjoy the satisfying texture of cornbread and the crunch of the bones.
Strawberry Sansho
A steamed dough mixed with dried framboise and strawberry liqueur, topped with strawberry icing and a finishing sprinkle of crushed sansho pepper. The sweet and tangy strawberry flavor pairs with the tingly, citrus-tinged aroma of sansho, leaving a subtle lingering aftertaste.
Yuzu Grapefruit
A steamed dough mixed with yuzu paste and semi-dried grapefruit, finished with yuzu icing and a topping of dried Kawachi-bankan citrus. The harmony of yuzu fragrance and the mild bitterness of grapefruit makes it a perfect post-eel-meal treat.
Matcha Sansho
A baked dough mixed with matcha powder, coated in milk chocolate with arare (rice puffs) and crushed sansho pepper. Inspired by a Japanese-Western fusion confection.
Availability
Period: July 20 to August 6, 2026 (summer doyo season)
Reference: Day of the Ox in 2026 — July 26
HOCUS POCUS
The Nagatacho location plans to rotate one to two of the four full-size Doyo Donuts on a daily basis.
Prices (tax included):
- Unagi Polenta: ¥680
- Strawberry Sansho: ¥600
- Yuzu Grapefruit: ¥600
- Matcha Sansho: ¥630
Unagi Kitashirakawa
Limited to 30 pieces per day, one mini donut is offered complimentary to customers who order an eel meal such as unaju. The available variety changes daily at random.
Background
HOCUS POCUS is known for its specialty donuts that combine diverse preparation techniques—frying, baking, and steaming—with elaborate cake-like decorations. Unagi Kitashirakawa takes pride in its jiyaki method, grilling eel without steaming to draw out its natural umami. The two shops, both located near Nagatacho Station, decided to collaborate.
Since 2024, Unagi Kitashirakawa and HOCUS POCUS have maintained an ongoing relationship. During their exchange, food waste came up as a topic. Because eel bones at the restaurant had few uses beyond karaage and largely went to waste, the team experimented with incorporating them into donuts. Beyond bones, they developed donuts using other eel-related ingredients such as sansho pepper, resulting in the "Summer Doyo Donuts" lineup. They chose to offer the donuts during the summer doyo period—which includes the Day of the Ox, when customer interest in eel is at its peak—to gauge reactions.
