SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Hamo (pike conger) dishes are commonly served in the latter half of July during the Gion festival in Kyoto and Tenjin festival in Osaka  Etwo of western Japan’s three major annual festivals. Since hamo stays alive in warm water, even under the scorching sun, it was just about the only fish served fresh in Kyoto and Osaka before modern transportation arrived. This made it a favorite dish at summer festivals.
Hamo is mainly caught offshore in western Japan. It looks much like unagi (eel) or anago (conger eel), but has a lighter meat that is easier to eat. The most common summer recipe for hamo is yubiki, which is lightly simmered with plum meat. When deboned and lightly boiled, the meat curves back like a flower petal as shown in the photo. Hamo is both delicious and nutritious, bringing joyous relief to revelers in the summer heat.