Uncovering the Unique Appeal of Unagi-imo, Born from Local Pride

There is a quietly growing interest in a unique Japanese sweet potato brand: Unagi-imo. With a name that is hard to forget, this special potato originates from Hamamatsu—a city known for its unagi (eel) culture. It was born out of one man’s passion for agriculture, combined with the distinctive characteristics of the local land and culinary traditions.

In this article, we delve into the origins of Unagi-imo, uncover what makes it truly one-of-a-kind, explore its flavor and craftsmanship, and introduce the shops where you can enjoy it for yourself.

Five-minute walk from Miyaguchi Station on the Tenryu Hamanako Railway.

For 160 years, Hana-no-mai Sake Brewery has had a brewery in a corner of the elegant stone-paved street that leads to the gate of Koushinji Temple.

Hana-no-mai Sake Brewery’s local sake made in Miyaguchi has been highly acclaimed, winning the gold medal at the National New Sake Competition for three consecutive years.

The Hamamatsu Festival takes place every year on May 3rd, 4th, and 5th in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, located in the Chubu region of Japan.

As the 2025 Hamamatsu Festival approaches, we would like to introduce the festival to you.

The Hamamatsu Festival offers exciting attractions, including the spectacular “Kite Battle” with over 170 towns, and the brilliant “Goten-yatai Procession” with more than 80 floats illuminating the streets at night.

▲Photo provided：Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana Tourism Bureau

The event fills both participants and spectators with excitement and joy.

The year starts with the festival and ends with the festival.

The energy of the people of Hamamatsu bursts out in a big way!

Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture is well known as a multicultural city, offering a comfortable and welcoming environment for Muslim residents and visitors alike. The city is home to a wide variety of halal-friendly supermarkets and restaurants, allowing Muslims to enjoy daily life without worrying about dietary restrictions.

For example, “Al-Hakim Halal Mart,” located near a mosque, is a popular destination for Muslims from countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Pakistan. It offers not only halal food ingredients and ready-made meals but also clothing, toothbrushes, and other daily necessities, all halal-certified.

“Matahari Café is a restaurant run by a Japanese chef who is married to an Indonesian woman, serves only halal dishes and provides prayer mats and a foot-washing area for Muslim guests, ensuring religious needs are respected.

You’ve probably heard of Kyoto’s matcha, but did you know that Shizuoka is one of Japan’s top green tea-producing regions?

Shizuoka Prefecture is known in Japan as “Shizuoka Prefecture when it comes to green tea,” and in fact, Shizuoka Prefecture is one of the top green tea producers in Japan, even more so than Kyoto, known as the home of green tea!

There are many varieties (regional brands) of “Shizuoka green tea” produced in Shizuoka Prefecture, such as Motoyama tea in Shizuoka City, Kakegawa tea in Kakegawa City, Kawane tea in Shimada City, and Tenryu tea in Hamamatsu City are well known.

▲Photo provided: Kakegawa City (Cold Fukamushi (Deep-Steamed) Kakegawa Green Tea)

If you’re looking to experience tea picking, learn about green tea, and of course, enjoy some tea, here are some of the best green tea spots in Shizuoka Prefecture for you to explore!

Outside of Japan, “Shizuoka Prefecture is associated with tea” may not yet be widely known.

Why not enjoy tea in Shizuoka Prefecture ahead of your friends?

▲Photo provided：Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana Tourism Bureau

About 30 minutes by car west from Hamamatsu Station.

Grand Mercure Hamanako Resort & Spa is located in an excellent location close to Lake Hamana’s tourist attractions, such as Lake Hamana Garden Park and Takiya Fishing, where you can experience traditional fishing methods.

This hotel was rebranded and reopened in April 2024 as Grand Mercure, a premium brand developed by Accor, a hospitality group based in Paris, France.

The hotel’s concept is “Proudly Local – Pride in the local area,” and the interior is decorated with paintings featuring Kanzanji Onsen, a symbol of Lake Hamana, giving it a luxurious atmosphere.

Popular points include the magnificent view of Lake Hamana that spreads out before you, the buffet that uses local ingredients from Lake Hamana, and the much-talked-about all-inclusive resort.

This time recommendation is the Grand Mercure Hamanako Resort & Spa, surrounded by the lush nature of Lake Hamana.

The Hamamatsu Volunteer Tourism Guide Association is a group of Hamamatsu guides who come together to promote the tourism industry, including Hamamatsu’s history, culture, and industry.

As of the end of February 2025, the group has 130 members, making it the largest volunteer guide group in the prefecture.

They are active at Hamamatsu Castle, Hamamatsu Station, Saigagake Museum, and Hamamatsu Festival Hall.

Each member guides visitors with a spirit of hospitality, not only from outside the prefecture, but also to people from Hamamatsu city and surrounding cities and towns, with the hope that they will “rediscover Hamamatsu’s wonderful history and culture.”

In 2020, the association’s activities were recognized and it was awarded the “Fujinokuni-Shizuoka Tourism Award Encouragement Award” by Shizuoka Prefecture.

Cherry blossoms start blooming simultaneously with the arrival of spring. Usually, cherry blossoms bloom in late March at cherry blossom viewing spots near Hamamatsu.

As of March 25, 2025, blooming has been confirmed at various locations.

The best time to see them is scheduled for early April, and last year in 2024, they were in full bloom in various locations around April 5-7.

This article introduces the highlights of cherry blossom viewing spots in the suburbs of Hamamatsu, as well as information on events.

Strawberry picking is one of the most popular leisure activities in spring!

Image: Kashima Harvest

This article introduces recommended “strawberry picking spots” in Hamamatsu. Detailed explanations of fees, access, and reservation methods for each facility are also provided!

In addition, we also introduce sightseeing spots in Hamamatsu that you can enjoy together with strawberry picking, so please be sure to look at this page until the end.

If you come to Japan, there are many beautiful landscapes that you should definitely see.

Here we will introduce 5 amazing views from the Chubu region.

We will introduce six famous flower viewing spots in the Central Japan.

You can enjoy a variety of flowers depending on the season.

If you’re interested, please come and visit.

*Please check the flowering status at each spot.

Japan has many festivals and traditional events that have been handed down since ancient times.

This time, we will introduce four festivals and traditional events in the Chubu region.

If you’re interested, why not come to Japan during the festival?

*Please check the official website for the dates of the festival.