1
Una Shu

Located along Prefectural Route 320, this eel specialty restaurant was established in 1980. You can enjoy exquisite Kanto style eel, which is cut to order, grilled in white, and then steamed before being dipped in sauce and grilled. The meat, which is packed with flavor, has a soft and fluffy texture and melts in your mouth. The secret of the fluffy texture is that the eel is steamed for about 15 minutes. It takes a little time from ordering to serving, but the taste is worth the wait. The slightly sweetened sauce soaks into the eel, and the combination of the flavorful kabayaki and rice is irresistible.
The "Unaju (ordinary)" (2,500 yen and up) is a reasonably priced way to enjoy the authentic taste of eels, but for those with more money in their pocket, we recommend the "Unagi Sandwich," which is made with two eels. It is a luxurious version with two layers of kabayaki and rice.

Una Shu

• 3284-3 Tateyamaji-cho, Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
• From JR Hamamatsu Station, take the Entei bus bound for "Murakushi" (about 60 minutes), and get off at "Hamanako Bay Street" (4 minutes).
• Weekdays 11:00-14:00, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 11:00-15:00
• Thursdays
• 053-487-2438
• Free of charge

2
Honjo Binchotan-yaki Unatan-tei

This restaurant has been in business for over 70 years and is a representative of Kanto style kabayaki in Hamamatsu. The restaurant features charcoal grilling using selected high-quality binchotan (binchotan charcoal). The far-infrared ray charcoal grills the surface to a crisp and slowly cooks the inside to lock in the flavor and remove excess fat. Smoking the fish with the fatty smoke from the charcoal gives the kabayaki an extra savory flavor. The exquisite crispiness on the outside and fluffiness on the inside is a unique result of this process.
The secret sauce, which has been preserved since the establishment of the restaurant, is prepared every winter for a full day and then aged for about a year. The sauce is added to the turtles as they continue to use it, resulting in a mellow flavor with no corners. The synergistic effect of the excellent grilling and the superb sauce makes the kabayaki unforgettably delicious. We recommend that you visit the restaurant right after opening time, as there is often a long line of people waiting in line.
The most popular menu item at this restaurant is the unagi mabushi. One-third of the bowl is served as is to savor the aroma of the fluffy grilled eel, and one-third is topped with scallions and sesame seeds for a different flavor. The rest is topped with wasabi (Japanese horseradish) and served in a Japanese bonito broth to enjoy the eel chazuke style, making it a value-for-money meal that can be enjoyed in three different ways.

Authentic Binchotan Grill Una Sumitei

• 354 Sunayama-cho, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
• 3 min. walk from South Exit of JR Hamamatsu Sta.
• Monday-Friday: 11:00-14:30 (L.O. 14:00)
  Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 - 14:30 (L.O. 14:00) 16:30 - 19:30 (L.O. 19:00)
• Thursdays
• 053-451-3131
• Free of charge (12 cars)

3
Shibuki

This specialty restaurant has been in business for over 60 years in Tatezanji hot spring. We use live eels from Lake Hamana that we purchase from the source every day. When broiling the eel in white, the skin is broiled thoroughly and the meat is broiled moderately to bring out the flavor of the eel. The eel is then softly steamed to remove excess fat, dipped in the sauce that has been passed down since the establishment of the restaurant, and grilled slowly and carefully. The more you bite into the fragrant kabayaki, the more the flavor gradually overflows. The popular "Ohitsu-mabushi" is characterized by the addition of ume (Japanese apricot), which is said to be a bad mixer, as a condiment. However, this is just an old superstition. You will be surprised at how refreshing it is and how well it goes with other ingredients you never knew existed. Even on weekends and holidays, when the restaurant is crowded, you can take your turn by cell phone, so you can make the most of your time.

Shibuki

• 2252-1 Tateyamaji-cho, Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
• From JR Hamamatsu Station, take the Entei Bus bound for "Tateyamaji Onsen" (about 50 minutes), and get off at "Tateyamaji Onsen" (4 minutes walk).
• 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:45), 18:00-20:30 (L.O. 20:15), Saturday, Sunday and holidays 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:45), 17:00-20:00 (L.O. 19:45)
• Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays (except holidays) *Open only for lunch on Mondays
• 053-487-0153
• Free of charge

4
Nakagawa-ya

Nakagawa-ya, located along the old Tokaido Highway near the Tenryu River, is an old-style building with a blackboard fence and pine trees, and one of the oldest restaurants in Hamamatsu, founded in 1877, serves Kanto style kamabayaki (broiled pork belly) that is steamed once and then broiled. Eels from Hamamatsu, which have had their odor removed by subterranean water from the Tenryu River, are slowly grilled for twice as long as at most eel restaurants, resulting in a crispy skin and no sliminess between the skin and meat. The "secret sauce" that has been preserved for more than 140 years since the establishment of the restaurant is a traditional taste that has been passed down from generation to generation, and the fire was kept burning even during the war. The sticky sweet sauce is infused with the flavor of the eel, and the flavor is further enriched by baking the eel in the sauce twice. The texture of the fluffy meat and savory skin is irresistible, and its deliciousness will soak into your heart.

The strongest combination of Tororoimo and Hitsumabushi

The hearty bowl of unagi tororo-chazuke (eel and yam chazuke) comes with a bowl of rice covered with eel, soup stock, and tororo imo (yam). The second course is served in a bowl with dashi broth, and the final course is topped with yam. The flavor of the yam enhances the flavor of the eel, making this a nutritious menu perfect for preventing summer fatigue.

Nakagawa-ya

• 861-2 Nakano-cho, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
• From JR Hamamatsu Station, take the Entei Bus bound for Iwata Office (approx. 20 min.), alight at Nakano-cho (4 min.).
• 11:00-14:00 (L.O.), 17:00-19:30 (L.O.)
• Open on the 7th, 17th, 18th, and 27th of every month (open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) *Substitute holidays apply.
• 053-421-0007
• Free of charge
• Closes when sold out

5
Eel Restaurant Unamasa

This restaurant specializing in eel dishes was established in 1978. Currently, the restaurant is run by the second generation of brothers who inherited the business from the first generation father. The eels used are "Kyosui Eel," a fantastic brand of eel cultivated in the subsoil water of the Oigawa River that flows through Yaizu City. The number of eels raised is limited in order to maintain quality, and there are only about 30 eel restaurants in Japan where you can taste it. This thick meaty eel, with the same sweetness of fat and tenderness of skin and meat as wild caught eels, is grilled to order. The sauce, inherited from the previous generation, is made from tamari soy sauce produced exclusively for the restaurant by Tominaga Brewery, a local brewery. The sauce is neither too sweet nor too spicy, and its exquisite taste brings out the full flavor of the eel.
After ordering, you will be served "Kyomizu Unagi no Nigori" (simmered eel) and "Yuba to Kabocha no Sauce" (yuba and pumpkin sauce) as appetizers.

The sensitivity and concern of the second generation shines through

The brothers have been in the restaurant for 20 years. In addition to their skill in eels and grilling, the owner's desire for customers to enjoy delicious eels in a stylish manner can be seen in the a la carte dishes using local vegetables, the wide selection of local sake, and the selection of stylish sake cups. In particular, to enjoy the taste of Hamamatsu while waiting for the eel to be cooked, you must try the "Eel liver with Hamanatto (Hamamatsu's specialty)," which uses Hamamatsu's famous Hama Natto (fermented soybeans), the "Kyomizu Eel Liver Grilled" which is grilled eel wrapped with fillet, and the "Homemade Nuka-zuke" made with local vegetables in a bed of rice bran aged for over 40 years. The restaurant also offers a wide variety of a la carte dishes that go perfectly with the local sake.

Unamasa Eel Restaurant

• 467-4 Mikatahara-cho, Kita-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
• From JR Hamamatsu Station, take the Entei bus bound for Miyakoda (approx. 35 min.), and alight at Hikimanokita (1 min.).
• 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:00), 17:00-20:30 (L.O. 19:00)
• Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• 053-437-3451
• Free of charge