The Gion Matsuri came to a close at the end of July, but there's still time to enjoy one of the dishes most closely associated with that famous festival. Hamo, called dagger-tooth pike eel in English, has long been one of the Kansai region's summer specialities, especially in Kyoto, where the city's most famous event is also referred to as the "hamo festival."
But you don't have to trek out to Japan's ancient capital to enjoy the summer favorite prepared various ways. Several restaurants in Tokyo offer hamo dishes, while a few others have courses showing off the many ways the food can be enjoyed.
"In the summer, hamo is at its best and most fresh, and that makes it such a good food to eat during the season," says Wataru Takase, the owner and head chef at the Yoyogi-area restaurant featuring his family name, Takase. Takase is one of the few restaurants in Tokyo that offers an all-hamo course menu. "It can just be so tasty," he adds with a laugh.