Tag Archives: Eel

Eel, Hamamatsu City, Japanese Gastronomy, Maisaka Cho, Maisaka Maruma Kofuku, Oysters, Shizuoka Prefecture

Oysters and Eels at Maisaka Maruma Kofukumaru in Maisaka, Hamamatsu City!

March 13, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

Car park for motorised visitors!

Service: shy but very welcoming and attentive
Equipment and facilities: overall very clean if a bit rustic. Excellent washroom outside, better than expected considering their outlook.
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: top-class fresh oysters and eel! All local!

Entrance.

If you like oysters, especially fresh and eels, preferably local, Maisaka Maruma Kofukumaru (long name as they also add “Kakiya/Oyster Place” to it!) is the place!
A bit difficult to find, follow the Google Map link below for people who come by car. As for train travelers get off at Maisaka JR Station!

Mariners’ good luck charm?

The place!
It does not look much as it is owned by the local oyster and eel farmers!
Minimal decoration but scrumptious food!

The common toilets/washroom outside. Actually very clean and practical in spite of the rustic appearance!

If the place is busy (and it can be very busy on winter weekends!) a waiting room is there for you!

Very simple but very convivial!

Some customers do come after a long drive!

Interesting posters!

The official logos of the place!

Recommendations of the day!

More recommendations!

The menu, with photographs for better understanding!

Fresh oysters from nearby Hamana lake!

Actually steamed oysters are even better!

With authentic tradiitonal Japanese country food!

With light white miso and shellfish soup and Japanese pickles!

Mazegohan/mixed steamed rice!

Local eel lunch set!

Light broth soup and Japanese pickles!

Extremely reasonably priced local roiled eel on rice bowl!

Authentic. local, tasty and so healthy!
Definitely worth the long trip!

MAISAKA MARUMA KOFUKUMARU/舞阪マルマ幸福丸

〒431-0211 Shizuoka Prefecture, hamamatsu City, Maisaka, 2621-114
Tel.: 053-592-2340
Opening hours: 10:00~16:00. Closed on Thursdays.
cash only

GOOGLE MAP
Access by train: get off at Maisaka JR Station.

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ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
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Eel, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka City

Eel Gastronomy: Ishibashi Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

May 24, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Kind and smiling
Facilities & Equipment: Ancient but very overall very clan. Pleasant washroom
Prices: Slightly expensive
Strong points: Traditional eel gastronomy. Freshly cooked only, slow food

Can you guess why the noren/暖簾/entrance curtain seems to be inverted?

It is because the restaurant wants its customers to remember its name as they leave!

The other day I was lucky enough to be invited to lunch by a Japanese business whose company I had interviewed!
he took to Ishibashi Restaurant in Suruga Ku south of JRShizuoka Station, definitely the most tradtional establishment of its kind in town!

Many famous customers have left their autographs!

The place is all built of dark old wood, making a very special atmosphere, although it is a bit too dark for photographing!

The kitchen!

Since it is all tatami seating, it might be a good idea for some to choose a seat by the wall to rest your back and knees!

They even have an irori/traditional Japanese fireplace!

Incidentally the side menu is only for side dishes and drinks as they serve two kinds of eel dishes, shiroyaki/without sauce and kabayaki/with sauce, broiled!
We ordered the latter!

The full lunch with steamed rice, soup with eel liver, and pickles!

The broiled eel!
Note that if you do not like the skin, just leave it!

They even served the deep-fried bones!
Crispy and very healthy!
All animals are kept alive until the very last second!

The hot soup with the eel liver!

An extravagant experience!
But do not forget to bring a good camera!

ISHIBASHI/うなぎ専門石橋

422-8053 Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Nishi nakahara, 1–6-13
Tel.: 054-281-5432
Opening hours: 11:00~14:30, 17:00~20:30 (11:00^20:30 on week ends and National Holidays)

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美食, Eel, 観光, 魚, 鰻, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Gastronomy: Eels at Chigusa in Hamamatsu City!

August 15, 2013 dragonlife 11 Comments

Service: shy but very friendly
Facilities: traditional but very clean
Prices : reasonable for eels (eels are very expensive in Japan)
Strong points: Eels! Only local fish used! Great view on Hamana Lake

Summer is eel eating time in Japan, especially in Shizuoka renown all over the country for its great eels mainly bred around Hamamatsu City and in Hamana Lake in particular.
So the other day we decided to visit at long last a famous but traditional and very reasonable eel restaurant lost by the Hamana Lake in Mikkabi, Hamamatsu City, called Chigusa (ちぐさ/千草)!

So instead of boarding a regular train, and taxi or bus we took a local train along the Tenhama Line (Japanese web site), a trip I would advise any true traveler (and photographer) to take to enjoy the sights and discoveries of old Japan!
We got down at an unmanned (yes, they still exist! Talk about Japanese trust!) station in the blazing sun.

The station is called Okuhamanako/Far side of Hamana Lake.
Get down there and try to reach the main road through the countryside as soon as you can (there are many ways!)!

This particular area, Mikkabi in Hamamatsu City, is famous all over Japan for its (still green now) oranges!

Once you reach the main road turn left and walk along for 10 minutes along the Hamana Lake!

You can’t miss it even if you can’t read Japanese as a long black eel is welcoming you from afar!

A picture/snapshot not to miss!

The entrance with unagi/鰻 written on the noren/暖簾, entrance curtain!
Who’s that guy taking a picture? LOL

Past the entrance you will find these long metal tubes wrapped in rice straw ropes.
What are they? Can you guess?

Portable fireworks!
This very rare festival is held beginning of August in Hosoe near Hamana Lake. I couldn’t manage my schedule to report but I’ll do it next year! Promise!

Have a good look at the souvenirs before entering the dining room!

Very traditional Japanese atmosphere inside!

The menu is in Japanese, but the pictures will give a very good indication!
I personally chose the above, the best eel “double-decker” lunch set. Even at 3,200 yen (32 US $) it is very reasonable when you realize that the eel prices have almost doubled in the past 3 years!
And the eels are exclusively locally bred in Hamana Lake!
It is worth the trip, even by car as there is a big car park!

Another important detail: you will have to wait some time before your order arrives. A good sign proving that contrary to the “cheap diners” food is individually prepared for best quality!
The lunch arrives at your table in a bento box shape on a tray.

Take off the lids…. et voila!

A succulent light soup containing eel liver/鰻肝!

Home-made Japanese pickles, o-shinko/オシンコ!

The broiled eel double decker/unagi jyuu/鰻重!

Two layers of eel grilled and broiled to perfection with two layers of freshly (very important!) steamed rice enhanced by the sauce of the eel
Take your time and use chopsticks to make sure you eat slowly and appreciate it to the fullest! This eel in eel country!

This gourd-shaped receptable contains shijimi/七味 mixed spice powder you can sprinkle over the eel for extra zip!

Dragon (my worse half) chose the above which contains a single layer of broiled eel but with finely shredded omelet between the fish and the rice!

Really appetizing, isn’t it?
I forgot: we visited Chigusa on Dragon’s advice! LOL

Do I need to mention I helped Dragon to finish it under the pretense of sharing?

It would certainly be a dilemma if I had to choose only one of those two lunches!
Make sure to come with a special company to taste as much as you can as I daresay that yen for yen this is the best value for eel in the whole Prefecture! (but I’m sure a lot of people will disagree! LOL)

CHIGUSA ちぐさ/千草
Hamamatsu City, kita Ku, Mikkabi Cho, Mikkabi, 1148-10
Tel.: 053-525-0218
Opening hours: 11:00~14:00, 16:00~20:00
Closed on 31st of December and 1st of January only
Reservations strongly recommended
Take-outs OK!
Cards OK
Non-smoking at lunch time
Car park available (30 spaces)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG (Japanese)

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Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

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-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
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Eel Species

December 9, 2008 dragonlife 9 Comments

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Here is another fish, second only to tuna, so popular in Japan!

Anago/Conger Eel

Anago or Conger Eel, a favourite all over Japan, does come in many varieties, some edible, some not.

The most popular conger eel in Japan is “Maanago” (“True Conger Eel”).
It is also called “Anago”, “Hakarime” and “Hamo” (although this particular kind should be treated separately)
Summer is the best season, although they are available all year round in Sushi restaurants.
They are mainly caught in Tokyo Bay, Jyowata Bay and Seto Sea.

Most Japanese appreciate them first boiled in broth then cooked on a grill over charcoal fire and then dipped in “tare/Japanese grill sauce”.

As for nigiri, they come in many guises: topped with “tare” (sauce) or just with a light brush of shoyu (see above pics)

Or a bit on the crispy side, or on the very soft and melting one (see above pics)
It basically depends on the chef’s skills and preferences.

One should not forget they also taste great as tempura, including the bones, a particular favourite of mine!

Samples with bright skin transaprent flesh are the best.
Imports from China and Korea have increased recently, although Japan is starting putting strong regulations to protect the species.
As for Shizuoka Prefecture, we do have access to fresh fish. Select your sushi restaurant accordingly!
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Unagi/Common Eel

Unagi or common eel is fish which made Hamanako/Hamana Lake famous in western Shizuoka Prefecture.
As summer approaches, the Japanese are looking forward to eat the delicacy as it is supposed to revitalize your body on very hot days.
Also called “Kayoko”, “Subera” or “Aobai”, it is farmed mainly in Shizuoka, Aichi and Gifu Prefectures.
It is only in the Edo Period that the Japanese starting it after they realized it could not be eaten raw as opposed to anago/conger eel or hamo/pike conger eel (coming soon!).
Japan presently produces more than 24,000 tonnes and still imports 14,000 tonnes whole and 71,000 tonnes cooked, most of it from China.

It is quite popular as nigiri in any part of Japan.

But the Japanese are simply crazy about “kaｂayaki”, which requires to grill and baste the fish at the same time, a fairly tedious process. It is a bit of an acquired taste as the connoisseurs eat the skin, which a bit oily to my liking.
In Hamamtsu, it is possible to eat the real wild fish in a very few restaurants, but you will know the difference when the bill comes!

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Eel/Unagi: Mishima City Unagiya Association vote against using wild eels!

July 3, 2008 dragonlife 3 Comments

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(Shizuoka Shinbun, July 1st, 2008)

In an unprecedented move (apparently a first in whole Japan), the Mishima City Eel Restaurants/Unagiya Association has voted against serving wild eels, especially the variety known as “shirasu unagi”, to preserve and increase the present stocks which have fallen to an alarming all-time low.
Mishima City is celebrated all over the country as the “eel city” where you can eat the delicacy in all known forms.
Until now, the restaurants would have even accepted to prepare wild eels caught and brought by customers. As the decision has come into force the moment it was voted, do not expect anyone to break the rules!

This is a similar move to the self-imposed quotas decided by the Yui Sakura Shrimps Fishermen Association which led to increased stocks for the benefit of all.

Who said Japan is bent on fishing the oceans dry?