Japanese eels are cooked over charcoals at eel restaurant in Tokyo
Japanese eels are cooked over charcoal at an eel restaurant 'Yaotoku' in Tokyo July 26, 2007. Many Japanese eat vitamin-rich eel in summer to bolster their stamina after days of heat-enervated appetites, especially so on Eel Day -- formally known as "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" -- on July 30, a date determined by the ancient solar calendar and believed to be the hottest of the year. Eel aficionados -- who devour broiled eels in a bid to beat the heat -- are opting for pricey domestic eels over cheap Chinese imports amid food safety fears. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao (JAPAN)