Lake Hamana Eel is a specialty farmed around Lake Hamana in western Shizuoka Prefecture and enjoyed throughout the Hamamatsu City area as kabayaki and other dishes. Lake Hamana is considered the birthplace of eel farming in Japan. It is said to have begun in 1900 (Meiji 33), when 服部倉治郎, a river-fish merchant who had been researching eel farming in Tokyo, judged Lake Hamana to be a suitable site and built eel-farming ponds there. Glass eels (shirasu-unagi), the young eels, were caught in the area, and the region was also blessed with a mild climate and abundant groundwater, so it developed into a major production area. Eels from Lake Hamana are prized for their rich fat and soft, plump flesh. In July 2026 (Reiwa 8), 'Hamanako Unagi' was registered under the Geographical Indication (GI) protection system. In downtown Hamamatsu and around Kanzanji Onsen, there are many eel restaurants, including long-established shops founded in the Meiji era. Besides unaju and unadon, you can also enjoy shirayaki, eel grilled without sauce.
Origin
In 1900 (Meiji 33), the river-fish merchant 服部倉治郎 (also written 服部倉次郎) built eel-farming ponds of about 8 hectares on the shore of Lake Hamana. This is considered the beginning of the eel farming industry at Lake Hamana. Glass eels, the young eels, could be caught in Lake Hamana, and the area was also blessed with a mild climate, flat land suitable for building ponds, abundant groundwater, and small fish to serve as feed. These conditions supported the development of eel farming.
History
Eel farming increased its production from the Meiji era onward, but during the Pacific War production temporarily stopped due to controls on feed. After the war it resumed early, and the area solidified its position as a production center. In 1971 (Showa 46), a heated farming method that raises eels in warmed water was established, leading to faster growth and fewer diseases. Today eel farming is mainly carried out inside plastic greenhouses, and in 2026 'Hamanako Unagi' was registered as a Geographical Indication (GI).
Features
There are two main styles of grilling eel kabayaki: Kanto style and Kansai style. In Kanto style, the eel is split down the back, grilled as shirayaki, then steamed before being basted with sauce and grilled again, so the flesh turns out plump and soft. In Kansai style, the eel is split down the belly and grilled without steaming, so the skin becomes crisp and fragrant. Kanto-style restaurants are said to be more common in Shizuoka Prefecture, but in Hamamatsu, located midway between east and west, you can enjoy both grilling styles.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Around Lake Hamana, the ikeban (pond keepers) who managed the ponds at eel farms used to simmer eels that had grown too large with burdock root in a sweet-savory sauce, mix them into rice, and eat it as a staff meal. Because it used eels as thick as stakes (bokkui), it came to be called 'bokumeshi,' and it has now become a local dish enjoyed at home and in school lunches as well.
How It Differs from Home Cooking
At home, people often warm up store-bought kabayaki to make unadon. Specialty restaurants prepare live eels, grill them over binchotan charcoal or the like, and finish them with a sauce that has been replenished over many years. Some restaurants also serve shirayaki, and the fragrance of freshly grilled eel and its plump flesh are flavors unique to specialty restaurants.
Famous Shops
うなぎ料理 あつみ
静岡県浜松市中央区千歳町70
A long-established restaurant said to have been founded in 1907 (Meiji 40), located in central Hamamatsu. It is known for Kanto-style kabayaki grilled over domestic binchotan charcoal. The eel is finished with a sauce that has been replenished for over 100 years, and besides unaju and unadon, you can also enjoy shirayaki served over rice in a box (shirayaki ju).
うなぎ 八百徳 本店
静岡県浜松市中央区板屋町655
Said to have been founded in 1909 (Meiji 42), this restaurant draws customers from all over Japan who come for its specialty 'ohitsu unagi chazuke' (eel rice served in a wooden tub, eaten chazuke style). It is Kanto style with steaming, and the eel is basted with sauce three times while grilling for a rich flavor. Ohitsu unagi chazuke starts from about 4,000 yen.
うなぎ湖畔食房 舘山寺園
静岡県浜松市中央区舘山寺町2229
A restaurant on the shore of Lake Hamana in Kanzanji Onsen, where you can dine while gazing at the lake from large windows and terrace seats. Besides unaju and unadon topped with Kanto-style kabayaki, you can also enjoy shirayaki and 'unagi seiro,' a dish in the style of hitsumabushi.
うなぎ 中川屋 本店
静岡県浜松市中央区中野町861-2
A long-established restaurant said to have been founded in 1877 (Meiji 10), housed in a building with a black wooden fence along the old Tokaido near the Tenryu River. It uses the Tenryu River's subsurface water to remove the eels' muddy odor, and grills them Kanto style after steaming. The eel is finished with a sauce handed down since its founding.
| Unagi Pie (春華堂) | A pie confection launched in 1961 (Showa 36) by 春華堂, a confectioner headquartered in Hamamatsu City and founded in 1887 (Meiji 20). It is baked by combining ingredients such as butter with seasonings including eel extract and garlic. Known for its catchphrase 'yoru no okashi' (a sweet for the night), it is a classic Hamamatsu souvenir. |
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FAQ
Q. Is the eel from Lake Hamana wild?
A. What is known as Lake Hamana eel is mainly farmed eel. Glass eels, the young eels caught from around December to April, are placed in farming ponds and raised for more than a year. Today eel farming is mainly carried out inside plastic greenhouses, where the eels are raised using groundwater pumped up from underground while the water temperature is maintained.