When you think of Hamamatsu, unagi is a must! We’ll give you a full report on what makes this Fishery Cooperative-operated restaurant special, including recommended dishes and a look inside the dining area.

When you think of Hamamatsu, unagi is a must!

Have you ever found yourself on a trip or business visit wishing you could quickly enjoy authentic, local eel?

That’s when Hamanako Unagi Maruhama is the perfect choice—conveniently located just a one-minute walk from the south exit of JR Hamamatsu Station.

In addition to its convenient location near the station, Hamanako Unagi Maruhama offers high-quality eel at an affordable price.

It’s directly operated by the Hamanako Fishery Cooperative.

This time, we’ll give you a full report on what makes this Fishery Cooperative-operated restaurant special, including recommended dishes and a look inside the dining area.

What Kind of Restaurant Is Hamanako Unagi Maruhama?

Hamanako Unagi Maruhama was established in 1981 as Costa Hamanako, right in front of Hamamatsu Station.

In 2008, with the development of the west side of the station, the restaurant moved to its current location and changed its name to Hamanako Unagi Maruhama.

100% Hamanako Eel – Directly Operated by the Fishery Cooperative

At Hamanako Unagi Maruhama, they use 100% eel from Lake Hamana.

They are committed to thick, meaty, and high-quality eel.

Image Source: Official Website of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama

Even though they use such high-quality eel, the menu is quite reasonably priced.

The reason these prices are possible is that Hamanako Unagi Maruhama is directly operated by the Hamanako Fishery Cooperative, which helps keep distribution costs low.

Image Source: Official Website of the Hamanako Fishery Cooperative

The Hamanako Fishery Cooperative was established in 1949 by aquaculture farmers living in five towns along Lake Hamana—Hamamatsu, Kosai, Hosoe, Mikkabi, and Arai, as well as Maisaka and Yuto.

Today, 27 producers are members of the cooperative, shipping approximately 1,000 tons of eel each year.

At Hamanako Unagi Maruhama, they leverage the advantage of being directly operated by the Fishery Cooperative, sourcing eel directly from producers without going through wholesalers or processing plants.

This allows them to serve exceptionally fresh eel at reasonably priced rates.

It reflects the Hamanako Fishery Cooperative’s commitment to letting as many people as possible enjoy the delicious eel that Lake Hamana is famous for—at reasonable prices.

The Secret Sauce Combines the Best of Kanto and Kansai Styles!

When it comes to eel, a fragrant sauce is an absolute must.

The flavor of eel differs between Japan’s Kanto region (around Tokyo) and Kansai region (around Osaka): Kanto style is typically soy sauce–based, while Kansai style usually features a sweeter sauce.

At Hamanako Unagi Maruhama, they use a secret sauce made with soy sauce produced in Shizuoka Prefecture, enhanced with Sanontou (a lightly refined brown sugar) to add depth of flavor.

It’s truly the best of both Kanto and Kansai styles.

Apparently, the flavor is perfected in Hamamatsu, which lies roughly halfway between the Kanto and Kansai regions.

Another great point is that no artificial seasonings, colorings, or preservatives are used.

Commitment to Local Ingredients

At Hamanako Unagi Maruhama, many of their customers visit on business trips or for travel.

With the desire to let guests enjoy as much local flavor as possible, they use Hamamatsu Koshihikari rice.

Image Source: Official Website of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama

Additionally, meals are always served with Shizuoka tea, a local specialty.

You can really sense the care that comes from Shizuoka’s reputation as a tea-producing region.

In addition, they offer local sake, including drinks from Hana no Mai Sake Brewery, a long-established brewery in Hamamatsu with over 150 years of history.

It’s a great place to stop by and enjoy a drink while sightseeing or on a business trip.

Just a One-Minute Walk from the Station! Casual and Welcoming Interior

Hamanako Unagi Maruhama is only a one-minute walk from the south exit of JR Hamamatsu Station.

As you exit the south exit of the station and turn immediately to the right, you’ll see the restaurant in no time.

It’s also a great spot to drop by during a break, such as while waiting for the Shinkansen.

Inside, the restaurant has 48 seats, including tables for groups and a counter where solo visitors can dine comfortably, catering to a variety of dining situations.

Table Seating (Image Source: Official Website of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama)

Counter Seating (Image Source: Official Website of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama)

High chairs for children are available, and the restaurant is also wheelchair accessible.

It’s nice to know that the casual atmosphere makes it easy for the whole family to relax and enjoy their meal.

Recommended Menu ① | Hamanako Unagi "Deshiko"

Next, we’ll introduce some of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama’s recommended dishes.

First up is a dish that features the brand eel “Deshiko”, created from 125 years of eel farming history and expertise at Lake Hamana, served luxuriously as a whole eel.

“Deshiko” is a brand eel born from the finest traditions and techniques of eel farming at Lake Hamana.

In the warm climate of Lake Hamana, blessed with abundant groundwater, the eels are raised for over a month longer than usual, resulting in a perfect balance of firm texture and rich fat, creating a high-quality flavor.

Furthermore, only eels that meet strict quality standards—including fat quality, flesh thickness, and size—are certified as “Deshiko.”

The “Deshiko” kabayaki is plump, meaty, and surprisingly generous in portion.

With a rich, fatty texture and tender, melt-in-your-mouth eel, I couldn’t help exclaiming, “Delicious!”

Despite its satisfying portion, it’s surprisingly not greasy, making it easy to enjoy—and even women can finish a whole eel with ease.

To bring out its full flavor, Hamanako Unagi “Deshiko” is served using the “Jiyaki” method, where the eel is grilled directly without steaming.

This grilling method, known as a Kansai-style technique, results in crispy, flavorful skin and tender, plump flesh, allowing you to fully enjoy the natural taste of the eel.

In addition, the set comes with kimosui (eel entrails soup) and seasonal fruits.

Kimosui is a delicate soup made with a blend of bonito and kombu (kelp) stock.

Inside, you’ll find tender eel entrails with a pleasantly firm texture, free of any strong odor, making it easy to enjoy.

For dessert, seasonal fruits such as melon and strawberries are served, ensuring a satisfying finish to your meal.

This hearty dish is perfect for those who want to fully enjoy authentic Hamamatsu eel.

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

Hamanako Unagi “Deshiko” | ¥5,600 (tax included, as of July 2025)

・Extra-large whole eel
・Kimosui (eel entrails soup)
・Japanese Pickles
・Seasonal fruits

*Price and menu items as of July 2025

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

Recommended Menu ② | Unaju “Matsu” – Great Value!

A popular classic, the Unaju “Matsu” features a whole eel served over rice.

Image Source: Official Website of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama

This dish is prepared using the so-called Kanto-style method, where the eel is first grilled plain, then steamed, and finally brushed with sauce before finishing on the grill.

Steaming removes excess fat, tenderizes the flesh, and creates a light, fluffy texture.

In Hamamatsu, located between the Kanto and Kansai regions, the preparation method can vary by restaurant, with some using Kanto-style and others Kansai-style techniques.

At Hamanako Unagi Maruhama, the cooking method is adjusted according to the type of eel, allowing you to enjoy the flavors of both Kanto- and Kansai-style preparations—a major highlight of the restaurant.

A unique way to enjoy eel in Hamamatsu is to try both Kanto- and Kansai-style preparations and compare the flavors.

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

Unaju “Matsu” | ¥3,800 (tax included, as of July 2025)

・Whole eel
・Kimosui (eel entrails soup)
・Japanese pickles

*Price and menu items as of July 2025

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

In addition, Hamanako Unagi Maruhama offers a wide variety of options, including the Unaju “Tokujo”, which features one and a half eels, as well as weekday-only choices like Mabushi Chazuke and the Unadon Lunch (11:00–13:00).

*Please note that Mabushi Chazuke and the Unadon Lunch (11:00–13:00) are not available during busy periods, such as Obon or the New Year holidays.

Takeout Menu | Hamanako Eel Bento

At the restaurant’s entrance showcase, you can find eel for takeout, including the popular Hamanako Eel Bento.

The Hamanako Eel Bento is made to order, with each bento carefully grilled for takeout.

There are three options based on eel size: Ieyasu, Naotora, and Hamanako.

Ieyasu (One Whole Eel) Image Source: Official Website of Hamanako Unagi Maruhama

You can also specify a pickup time, making it convenient to stop by quickly while traveling for business or sightseeing.

In addition, Hamanako Unagi Maruhama bento boxes are available not only at this restaurant but also at the affiliated store inside Ekimachi West, directly connected to JR Hamamatsu Station.

Ekimachi West Store

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

・Ieyasu (One Whole Eel): ¥3,400 (tax included)
・Naotora (Three-quarters of an Eel): ¥2,800 (tax included)
・Hamanako (Half an Eel): ¥2,000 (tax included)

*Price and menu items as of July 2025

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

Crowd Situation at Hamanako Unagi Maruhama

During our visit, we went to the restaurant on a weekday in July around 3:00 PM.

Since it was past lunchtime, the restaurant was relatively quiet, but there were still several groups enjoying a late lunch.

In fact, many eel restaurants around Hamamatsu Station take a break between lunch and dinner.

Hamanako Unagi Maruhama doesn’t close between lunch and dinner, so many customers take advantage of this “in-between” time to stop by!

On weekends and holidays, lines can form even before opening, with the busiest time around lunchtime.

However, evenings are generally less crowded, making it easier to enjoy a relaxed meal.

Additionally, the food is prepared quickly, so even during busy times, the wait is often shorter than expected.

Reservations are not accepted, but thanks to the quick turnover and convenient location, it’s easy to stop by casually.

If you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to visit slightly before or after lunchtime.

Hamanako Unagi Maruhama – Store Information

Address: 322-4 Sunayama-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu-shi

Phone: 053-454-2032 (Seat reservations not accepted)

Hours: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM

Last Order: 8:00 PM

Closed: None (Open year-round)

Payment Methods: Cash, credit cards, electronic money, QR code payments

Seating: 48 seats (42 at tables, 6 at the counter)

Reservations: Not accepted

Access: Just steps from JR Hamamatsu Station South Exit

Parking: Nearby paid parking available

Website: https://www.unagi-maruhama.jp/

￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣

This time, we introduced Hamanako Unagi Maruhama, conveniently located just a one-minute walk from JR Hamamatsu Station.

The unbeatable freshness and generous portions of eel are a special feature of this restaurant, directly operated by the Hamanako Fishery Cooperative!

If you visit Hamamatsu, be sure to stop by Hamanako Unagi Maruhama and enjoy their delicious eel.

With Thanks to: Hamanako Fishery Cooperative