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[Exquisite] Enjoy Lake Hamana eel in Kosai! 3 famous Hamanako eel restaurants

In summer, it’s easy to lose your appetite due to the heat and humidity, and your physical strength is easily exhausted.

So this time, I would like to introduce you to the highly nutritious eel from Kosai City (Lake Hamana) that you should eat during the hot summer months!

Lake Hamana is a famous eel production area!

Lake Hamana eel is now widely known throughout Japan as a top-quality eel.

Lake Hamana is Japan’s largest brackish water lake, and is characterized by its unique environment where freshwater and seawater mix. Lake Hamana is home to an abundance of eel fry, and high-quality “Lake Hamana eel” is actively farmed.

Why did eel farming start in Lake Hamana?

Aquaculture in Lake Hamana dates back to the Meiji era.

Mr. Kurajiro Hattori was the first to cultivate fish.

Mr. Hattori was on his way to Aichi Prefecture to conduct research on eel farming when he saw Lake Hamana and thought, “Maybe it’s suitable for eel farming?” and so he started researching Lake Hamana. As a result of the survey, Lake Hamana was found to be very suitable for eel farming, and eel farms were established around Lake Hamana from the Meiji period to the Showa period.

Due to the effects of the war, there was a time when aquaculture was not possible, but it was later restarted, and in 1949, the Lake Hamana Fish Farming and Fisheries Cooperative Association (commonly known as Maruhama) was established to specialize in eel farming.

Lake Hamana is a suitable place for eel farming!

Eel farming in Lake Hamana has a long history. There is a reason why Lake Hamana eel is known nationwide and is called an exquisite dish.

What did Mr. Hattori focus on when he started eel farming at Lake Hamana?

[Reference: Lake Hamana Fish Farming Boat Association HP]

「https://www.hamanako-eel.jp/about/」

Highlight 01. Abundant groundwater

Eel farming requires clean, fresh water throughout the year. Eel farming at Lake Hamana uses water pumped up from 400 meters underground on the Mikatahara Plateau and the abundant natural water that gushes out of Lake Hamana.

These groundwater and natural waters are rich in minerals necessary for eel growth, and provide the ideal environment for growing healthy eels.

Highlight 02. Terrain suitable for eel farming ponds

On the east side of Lake Hamana, there are many layers of sandy mountains called “hintei” created by nature. These beach embankments were formed over a long period of time by the accumulation of gravel carried by the Tenryu River.

The east side of Lake Hamana is a lowland area, so the area between Hintei and Hintei has poor drainage. This topography, created by the forces of nature, creates a unique landscape suitable for eel farming.

Highlight 03. Glass eels can be caught in large quantities

Lake Hamana and the mouth of the Tenryu River are known for their abundance of glass eels, which are young eels.

This is due to the fact that Lake Hamana is a brackish lake, meaning that it is a mix of seawater and freshwater.

Glass eels grow in brackish waters mixed with some seawater, and then move to freshwater bodies such as rivers when they grow larger. In other words, brackish water is essential for the healthy growth of glass eels, and Lake Hamana provides the ideal environment.

This is why Lake Hamana is attracting attention as a place suitable for growing glass eels.

Highlight 04. Stable temperature throughout the year

The area around Lake Hamana is blessed with a warm climate with an average temperature of approximately 15 degrees throughout the year.

This warm environment is an essential condition for eel growth.

In particular, this warm climate plays a major role in the healthy growth of glass eels and the success of eel farming. Lake Hamana’s warm climate supports its status as a famous eel production area.

Highlight 05.Eel food was plentiful

Around Lake Hamana and the Kosai region, the spinning industry has flourished since the Meiji period, and sericulture has also been widely practiced.

The development of eel farming in this region was due to the availability of large quantities of silkworms to feed the eels. The abundant supply of silkworms became an important factor supporting eel farming at Lake Hamana.

What do you hear about “Kanto-style” and “Kansai-style” when eating eel?

When eating eel, have you ever heard of “Kanto-style grilling and Kansai-style grilling”?

There are two styles of grilling eel: Kanto style and Kansai style.

“Kanto-style” is characterized by first opening and steaming the eel.

This steaming process removes excess fat and softens the meat, creating a fluffy texture. Then, after dipping it in sauce, it is grilled over charcoal until it becomes fragrant

On the other hand, “Kansai-style” is characterized by the method of grilling it without steaming it.

Immediately after opening the eel, grill it over an open flame until crispy. This allows the skin to be crispy and fragrant, and the meat to have a firm texture.

In this way, you can enjoy the different flavors of eel in each region, with Kanto-style eel being fluffy and tender, and Kansai-style eel being crisp and fragrant.

And did you know that Kosai City is actually located almost in the middle of Tokyo and Osaka?

Thanks to this exquisite location, there are a wide variety of both Kanto-style and Kansai-style eel restaurants around Kosai City.

When tasting eel in Kosai City, it might be interesting to think about which way to grill it!.

Kosai eel restaurant MAP completed!

After reading the above article, I hope you all want to eat eel in Kosai City!

In such a case, check here!

The Kosai/Arai Tourism Association has created the “Kosai Eel Restaurant MAP” in the hope that you can enjoy Kosai City’s exquisite eel!

“Kosai Unagidokoro MAP” introduces stores in Kosai City where you can actually eat eel and stores where you can take it home, how to eat delicious shirayaki, and the ongoing eel catching and Kabayaki experience!

Be sure to pick up the “Kosai Eel Map” and search for nutritious eel◎

\Click here to download “Kosai Eel Map”/

Introducing recommended stores in Kosai City!

From here, based on the “Kosai Eel Restaurant MAP” that I introduced, I would like to introduce three restaurants and take-out shops in Kosai City where you can enjoy exquisite eel!

1.Charcoal-grilled eel Yamaei

“Charcoal-grilled Eel Yamaei” is a directly managed store of Yamaei Fish Farm, which opened in 2020.

Yamaei Fish Farm began in 1965 when founder Mr. Eizaburo Yamamoto opened a fish farm in Shinsho, Kosai City. The second generation laid the foundation for the current house eel farming at the eel farm.

Currently, the third generation has taken over the farm and farms approximately 200,000 eels in eight eel ponds. At Yamaei Fish Farm, we use well water pumped from 100 meters underground to grow eels under strict water quality control.

Yamaei’s special points

“Charcoal Grilled Eel Yamaei” owns a fish farm and farms approximately 200,000 eels.

We use well water pumped from 100 meters underground to raise our eels, and we raise them under strict water quality control. The quality of the eel’s flesh and fat changes depending on the season and breeding environment, but the eels that are raised with care in our own pond are carefully torn, skewered, steamed, and grilled one by one by skilled craftsmen.

In addition, we use a secret sauce for the eel that does not contain any additives such as coloring or preservatives. By dipping the eel in this secret sauce three times and grilling it, the umami extract from the eel and the sauce intertwine, resulting in a synergistic effect that makes it even more delicious.

The eel created by discerning craftsmen and skillful techniques has an exquisite taste!

Dishes made with carefully selected eel at “Charcoal-grilled Eel Yamaei” are available in eel bowls and eel bowls, as well as kabayaki and shirayaki dishes. Unaju and Unadon also come with liver soup and pickles, so you can fully enjoy the deliciousness of carefully prepared eel!

Basic information about “Charcoal grilled eel Yamaei”

・address : 523-1 Ota, Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture 431-0404

・Business hours : 11:30-14:30 (L.O14:00)

・Regular holidays : Closed on Tuesdays, Monday lunch only

・phone : 053-573-2460

2.Kanehachi

Kanehachi is an eel restaurant that is very popular among locals.

Kanto-style kabayaki is characterized by its crispy outside and fluffy inside.

Because you can enjoy delicious domestic eel at a relatively reasonable price, it’s so popular that there are long lines on holidays.

Upper Unaju

At “Kanehachi”, we manage our eel in a facility that uses the groundwater of Lake Hamana, and we quickly prepare the fresh eel with all its texture removed just before cooking.

The grilled eel has a perfect combination of crispy outside and soft inside.

The secret sauce, which has been kept since its founding, also has a mellow and rich taste. You can enjoy a wide variety of menus, such as the refreshing Shirayaki, Kabayaki where the sauce and ingredients harmonize perfectly, and the hearty Sugatayaki.

“Kanehachi” is a popular restaurant that attracts many customers from outside the city. There is a shop inside the store where you can purchase kabayaki and other items, and you can also take them home as souvenirs. We have a wide variety of souvenirs, and in addition to takeout items, we also have skewers, kabayaki, and even sauces sold separately.

There is also a product called “Unagi Bone” that can only be purchased in Shizuoka, making it the perfect souvenir.

“Kanehachi” has chair seats and tatami mats, making it an easy-to-use environment for people with small children. There are multiple tatami rooms, making it popular with families.

Additionally, since Kanehachi is popular with people of all ages, the store may close if the product is sold out. We recommend visiting early!

Why not come and visit us?

Basic information about “Kanehachi”

・address : 3747 Hamana, Araicho, Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture 431-0303

・Business hours : Shop 9:00-Sold out, Meal : 11:00-Sold out

・Regular holidays : Tuesday (Closed on Wednesday)

・phone : 053-594-1274

3.Kawabe no Unagi

“Kawabe no Unagi” is a specialty store for take-out eel.

Eel, a specialty of Lake Hamana, has been a specialty of Araijuku on the Tokaido road since the Edo period and has been enjoyed by travelers, and is also a popular souvenir.

The eel at “Kawabe no Unagi” is made from carefully selected Lake Hamana eel that is carefully grilled by our craftsmen, and we offer a wide selection of eel, including “shirayaki”, “kabayaki”, “eel liver tsukudani”, and “eel mabushi”. The lineup is attractive.

*We can also ship nationwide from our store.

“Kawabe no Unagi” recommended souvenirs!

Check here for recommended souvenirs sold at “Kawabe no Unagi”!