A Seasonal Specialty Combining Sweet Awaji Onions with Delicate Conger Eel
Hamo suki is one of Awaji Island’s signature regional dishes, bringing together two of the area’s most prized ingredients: fresh conger eel, known in Japanese as hamo, and the island’s famously sweet onions. This comforting hot pot showcases the natural bounty of the surrounding seas and fertile farmland, creating a dish rich in flavor and deeply rooted in local food culture.
The broth is carefully prepared with kombu seaweed and the bones and trimmings of the conger eel. As the onions simmer, their natural sweetness gradually infuses the soup, enhancing the eel’s delicate flavor and creating a wonderfully balanced broth.
Hamo suki is a traditional hot pot made with freshly caught conger eel and onions grown on Awaji Island. The combination of savory broth, tender fish, and naturally sweet onions produces a layered flavor that is both delicate and satisfying.
The dish highlights the island’s distinctive ingredients rather than relying on heavy seasoning. As the ingredients cook together, the eel’s subtle richness blends with the sweetness of the onions, giving the broth an increasingly deep and rounded taste.
The waters off southern Awaji Island, including the area around Nushima Island, are known for their strong currents and abundant plankton, creating favorable conditions for conger eel. Fish from these waters are valued for their firm flesh and balanced fat content.
The seabed in parts of the region is soft and muddy, which is said to contribute to the eel’s thin, tender skin and pleasant texture. These qualities make locally caught hamo particularly well suited to hot pot dishes, where the fish can be cooked briefly and enjoyed for its delicate flavor.
Awaji Island’s onions are an essential ingredient in hamo suki. Grown in the island’s mild climate and mineral-rich soil, they contain plenty of moisture and become especially sweet when heated.
As the thinly sliced onions simmer in the broth, they release their sweetness and add depth to the soup. Their soft texture and mellow flavor complement the delicate eel, creating the defining harmony of this local specialty.
The popularity of Awaji Island’s conger eel in Osaka and Kyoto dates back centuries. During the Tensho era (1573–1592), when Toyotomi Hideyoshi established a fish market known as Zakoba in Osaka, seafood from Awaji Island was transported to markets in Osaka, Sakai, Amagasaki, and other commercial centers.
Conger eel was particularly valuable because it is remarkably resilient and could be transported alive over long distances. This helped preserve its freshness and made it a prized ingredient in the restaurants and traditional dining establishments of Osaka and Kyoto.
Hamo remains closely associated with major summer festivals in the Kansai region. During Kyoto’s Gion Festival and Osaka’s Tenjin Festival, dishes such as blanched conger eel and hamo sushi are enjoyed as seasonal delicacies that signal the arrival of summer.
Conger eel is generally in season from early summer through autumn. It is especially prized during the summer before spawning, when its flavor and fat content are considered particularly appealing. Eels measuring approximately 70–80 centimeters in length and weighing 700–1,000 grams are often regarded as a desirable size for eating.
During this season, hamo suki offers an excellent opportunity to enjoy the fresh seafood and seasonal produce of Awaji Island at their best.
The preparation begins with a broth made by simmering kombu seaweed and conger eel bones and trimmings. Sake, mirin, and soy sauce are added to season the soup, creating a savory foundation for the other ingredients.
Thinly sliced Awaji onions are then added and simmered slowly until they become tender and release their sweetness. The conger eel is carefully cut into bite-sized pieces after its small bones have been finely sliced through in a traditional preparation technique known as honekiri. The fish is then cooked briefly in the hot broth to preserve its delicate texture.
Some versions also include conger eel roe for a richer flavor. Green onions, shiitake mushrooms, and other vegetables may be added according to the restaurant’s recipe. Once everything is cooked, the hot pot is ready to enjoy.
Restaurants throughout Awaji Island serve hamo suki during the eel’s seasonal peak. Dining on the island gives visitors the opportunity to taste locally caught conger eel and sweet Awaji onions prepared close to their source.
Whether you are exploring the island’s coastal scenery or discovering its regional cuisine, hamo suki is a memorable seasonal dish to seek out during the warmer months. Its delicate seafood flavor, naturally sweet vegetables, and carefully prepared broth offer a delicious introduction to Awaji Island’s culinary traditions.
Hamo suki brings together the best of Awaji Island’s sea and land in one comforting hot pot. The combination of tender conger eel, sweet local onions, and umami-rich broth makes it a distinctive regional specialty, especially during the summer season.
When visiting Awaji Island, consider trying this traditional dish while hamo is in season. It is a wonderful way to experience the island’s fresh ingredients and the food culture that has developed around them.