I was super excited for this. It’s one thing visiting a place and looking at the scenery, but another thing entirely participating and immersing yourself in it. The next stop was the Eel restaurant Rin and Nadeshiko visit together to eat the most delicious eel ever. So I needed to try it for myself. This was even further from Hamamatsu city, and I had to take a teeny local single-track train to get there. Rural lines like this exist in the UK but they are few and far between, so I’d never been on one before.
The Tenryu Hamanako Line
I hopped off my mainline train and had to exit the station to take me to the tiniest platform I’d ever seen. I didn’t have time to snap a pic as the train was about to leave!
Trains on this line operate like a bus. You grab a ticket when you hop on, and pay when you get off with cash. A big board near the driver updates at every stop to show you how much you have to pay.
Hamanako-Sakume Station
I got off at Hamanako-Sakume Station, my first point of interest for this bit.
And it was time to start taking pictures.
The train departed, and I watched as it trundled off into the distance.
Another shot of the platform
Heading to the tiny station waiting area/entrance, I was greeted with a large Yuru Camp pinup!
And of course outside to the left, is the iconic cow toilet o_o
Here’s a shot looking at the station building itself. Notice Rin and Nadeshiko in the window!
It looks like the window belongs to a coffee shop built into the station, but it was closed at the time. Google maps says its usually open though, so maybe pop in and have a look if you get the chance!
Sakume Eel Restaurant
From the same position, looking over the road is the eel place. THE eel place. It looks so unassuming too.
This is where Rin and Nadeshiko have a delicious eel meal in episode 3 of season too. And boy was I keen to try proper unagi. People unfamiliar with eel might raise a brow, but trust me, it’s a national delicacy for a reason.
I entered the restaurant a little late, just as it opened for the afternoon shift at 4pm. There were a couple of other young dudes around my age (that you can see in the station pics above) that seemed to be there for the same reason, and had arrived by car.
The restaurant was exactly 1 for 1 to the anime, save for some of the Yuru Camp decorations on the walls.
On the right was a sitting tatami area.
In the centre of the room was a big fish tank, and then on the left were the counter seats.
I perched myself on the far right to make room for the two friends, and ordered a “standard” eel box (£9/$12), so my eyes wouldn’t comedically pop out of my head at how expensive the premier box was (£21/$27).
With the help of google translate, I asked the chef what the difference between the different grades. From what I gathered, standard is farmed eel, deluxe is wild, and premier is a higher grade of wild (if I can remember correctly). And about the chef by the way, he’s the same dude in the anime too! I watched him prepare my eel just like Rin and Nadeshiko did at the counter.
First, the chef reached into a bucket and grabbed an eel that was squirming around frantically.
The eel was still writhing about as he stabbed its head with the pin, and every so often it would slip out of his hands into the sink below while he was trying to cut it. He’d have to wrestle it back onto the board, and stab it again. Eventually it stopped wriggling about.
I think this is removing the spine?
Then the eel was sliced up and attached to skewers, where it was brought over to the right and grilled. Who I presume is the chefs son, was also modelled in the anime!
When it was ready, it was laid straight onto a fresh bed of rice, and drizzled with a sweet soy sauce glaze. A reminder that at this point it’s around 4:30pm, and I hadn’t had my lunch yet. I was drooling.
And let me tell you, it was heaven. Probably the tastiest, meatiest, most delicious seafood I had ever had.
As I was eating, the chef struck up a nice conversation with me and the two young dudes, and they were all very friendly. He wanted to know where I was from, and I showed them where Jersey was. The chef seemed just as excited to find out how far as come, as I was to be there! And just like Shimarin, I know I have to go back and eat there again.
As I was about to leave, the Chef beckoned me over to the front entrance, where there was a selection of official Yuru Camp merch. And he said I could pick one, and have it for free!
I had to choose Rin, of course. There was her on one side, and on the other, a picture of the delicious eel. He told me it was made of local wood too!
(Attempted) Okuhamanakotenbo Park
I said my goodbyes, and left the restaurant, completely full to the brim. I looked along the road to the right, which is where the two girls head over under the bridge to Nadeshiko’s friends house. But I hadn’t prepared to go that way, and there wasn’t much to see anyway.
Instead, I headed in the opposite direction towards my last stop of the day – The Okuhamanakotenbo (try saying that three times really fast) Park lookout point.
This spot is featured in a some of the promo for season 2, and Rin, Nadeshiko and her friend go here for a beautiful night view after they chill at her house for a bit.
A little side-note, her “friend” – Toki Ayano – has the same voice actor as Kumiko from Hibike Euphonium. A cool overlap from two of my all time fav animes 🙂
The park was a bit of a trek, away, but not too far for me. But I was about a quarter of the way there, when it started to rain quite heavily. I didn’t have my coat with me, and it was too windy for my umbrella along the main road. I wasn’t worried about getting soaked, but my camera would get water-logged if I continued. So I had to turn around and go back. The forecast said it wouldn’t stop anytime soon. Oh well, it’s another excuse to visit again.
Fortunately I didn’t have to wait long for my train. I could have gotten one in either direction, the journey time was the same even with transfers. It arrived, covered in a vibrant purple wrapping themed around a vocaloid. I’m not too acquainted with the robo-singers though so I’m not sure who it is.
The interior was all decorated too.
As the train pulled into another station to let a train past going the other direction, I noticed the other one was covered in colourful wrapping too. A YURU CAMP WRAP! If I had decided to go in the opposite direction, I could have gotten that one instead. But I didn’t. And I wasn’t about to deal with the complicated train fair system just to change trains. So I kept my bum planted and stared longingly at the opposing train as it pulled away.
I changed trains at the mainline again to take me back to hamamatsu, and snapped this shot of the tiny single-car train next to the mainline.
And with that, I headed back to the cool outdoorsy themed hostel for a good nights rest. It was a long day.
Next up!
And that wraps up Hamamatsu! I loved the vibe there, and it was a smaller city with less of a focus on tourism like Kofu, and unlike Matsumoto. So there wasn’t as much to do outside of the Yuru Camping, but I still enjoyed it a lot. You get to see what “real” Japan is like doing these things.
Next, my sister and I head over to Izu and Shimoda, to see the lovely seaside, capybara hotsprings, and eat fish burgers! Stay tuned!
Tom's Blog 
Leave a comment