Atsugi and Nakatsugawa: Sweetfish Cuisine and Satoyama Scenery

Natural sweetfish raised in the clear waters of the Tanzawa mountains and the scenic satoyama landscape of Lake Miyagase: Atsugi City in Kanagawa offers the bounty of clean rivers and hills that feel surprisingly remote for a location so near the capital. Summer sweetfish, spring cherry blossoms, and autumn foliage all connect the changing seasons directly to what appears on the table. Just a short trip beyond Hon-Atsugi Station, the unhurried rhythm of rural Japan takes over.

Highlights

The Nakatsugawa (a tributary of the Sagami River) flowing through Atsugi City is known as a clear stream rising in the Tanzawa mountains, and in summer natural sweetfish (ayu) ascend it. Sweetfish raised in clean water are highly fragrant, earning the name kogyo (fragrant fish), and are enjoyed in many preparations such as salt-grilling, candied simmering, segoshi thin-sliced sashimi, and uruka salted innards. Riverside restaurants are known for shioyaki, sweetfish skewered and slowly grilled over charcoal, where the faintly bitter innards balance the delicate sweetness of the flesh.

Sweetfish fishing generally opens around June each year, a summer tradition awaited by clear-stream anglers. In the fishing zone along the Nakatsugawa, the traditional tomozuri method, which uses the fish territorial instinct to lure others, can be enjoyed. On opening day many anglers cast their rods and the riverbanks come alive from early morning.

Spreading across the northern side of Atsugi, Lake Miyagase is the reservoir of Miyagase Dam, completed in 2000 by damming the Nakatsugawa, and it ranks among the largest artificial lakes in the greater Tokyo region. The sweep of the lake against the Tanzawa peaks is among the most beautiful in the wider Kanto area, and it is listed among Japan chosen dam lakes. Sightseeing boats and the dam scheduled water releases are further attractions.

Seasonal Highlights

Sweetfish cuisine is at its best roughly from June to September. The flavor shifts with the season, from the young sweetfish just after the opening to the roe-bearing autumn fish of late summer. Around Lake Miyagase, spring cherry blossoms and autumn foliage can be enjoyed, and in winter (around December) a large illumination decorates the native fir trees along the shore. The valleys of Tanzawa stay cool with river breezes even in summer, making it a fine season for a riverside meal that doubles as an escape from the heat.

Access and Essentials

• Base station: Hon-Atsugi Station on the Odakyu Line (roughly one hour from Shinjuku by Odakyu express)
• For Lake Miyagase, take a local bus from Hon-Atsugi Station (roughly 45 minutes to an hour including transfers)
• Sweetfish restaurants are scattered along the Nakatsugawa and are convenient by car, with many offering parking
• Operating seasons and reservation policies differ by restaurant, so checking in advance is recommended

Practical Travel Notes

The best season for sweetfish is summer (June to September). At lunchtime, riverside terraces and tatami rooms fill quickly, so reservations are reassuring on weekends. As a time guide, allow one to two hours for a sweetfish meal alone, or half a day to a full day when combined with sightseeing at Lake Miyagase. For budget, a single salt-grilled sweetfish starts from a few hundred yen, while a full sweetfish course runs into the low thousands of yen. Nearby are real spots worth pairing, such as the satoyama hot springs of Nanasawa and Kotakuji, and Iiyama Kannon (Chokokuji). If you do not have a car, bus frequency is limited, so it helps to check the timetable on the way out.

A Word of Advice

Sweetfish is a fish where freshness and season are everything. To aim for natural ayu, summer after the opening is ideal. To combine Lake Miyagase with a sweetfish meal, it flows well to finish the lake sightseeing first and eat by the river in the early afternoon. The salt-grilled sweetfish, easy to eat down to the bones, is best savored whole, bitter innards and all, in the manner favored by connoisseurs.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About one to two hours for a meal and a riverside stroll
• What to bring: Some small cash, as some shops are cash-only; watch your footing by the river
• Suggested route: Enjoy the sweetfish dishes mentioned in the article at restaurants around the Sagami River, together with the riverside scenery
• Access: From Odakyu Hon-Atsugi Station toward the riverside by bus or car
• Budget: From around a thousand yen per meal is a guide

Practical Information for Your Visit

• When you can eat ayu: The season opens on June 1 every year and runs until around mid-October. In the waters managed by the Nakatsugawa Fisheries Cooperative, the fishing season is extended to October 31
• How ayu is prepared: Salt-grilled, as tempura, simmered in sweet soy (kanroni), butterflied and dried, or as an ayu kaiseki course. Preparations differ from restaurant to restaurant
• Reservations: Courses such as ayu kaiseki usually require a reservation, and some are served only in summer. If you want to be sure of eating it in season, booking ahead is the safe choice
• Representative restaurants: "Nihon Ryori Nakatsugawa" inside the Rembrandt Hotel Atsugi serves an ayu kaiseki course in summer only (reservations required). "Kushiyaki Soneya," right by the south exit of Hon-Atsugi Station, serves wild ayu year round. Opening hours and menus differ by restaurant, so check in advance
• Base station: Hon-Atsugi Station on the Odakyu Line. Restaurants near the station are within walking distance, while riverside restaurants require a car or bus
• Parking: Riverside restaurants often have their own parking, while restaurants near the station mean using nearby coin parking
• Time needed: 1-2 hours for a meal alone; half a day to a full day if you combine it with a riverside walk or sightseeing toward Lake Miyagase
• In the rain: No problem for a meal at an indoor restaurant. Avoid riverside walks and watching ayu fishing when the river is swollen, as it is dangerous
• Footing: If you go down to the riverbed, it is covered in loose, slippery stones, so wear comfortable walking shoes rather than sandals
• Strollers and wheelchairs: Conditions at restaurants near the station vary by building, and riverside restaurants are often centered on tatami seating. If you have specific needs, checking when you book is the surest approach
• Atsugi Ayu Festival: In 2026 the 80th edition will be held on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11. The grand fireworks display runs from 17:40 to 19:00 on the 10th, with about 10,000 fireworks. Venues include Atsugi Central Park and the confluence of the three rivers on the Sagami River
• Traffic restrictions during the Ayu Festival: On the 10th, restrictions apply from noon to 20:30 on Chuo-dori, Atsugi Nakacho Odori and other streets; on the 11th, from noon to 17:00 on Atsugi Nakacho Odori. The area around Hon-Atsugi Station is extremely crowded on those days, so public transport is the realistic option
• Paid viewing seats: Details are usually announced on the Atsugi City official website about a month and a half before the event

📚 Sources

This information is based on public materials from local governments such as Atsugi City and tourism associations, on public information from restaurants and the fisheries cooperative, and on on-site guidance. Sweetfish are seasonal, and offerings and business hours vary by shop. Fees, hours, and access may change, so please check official information before you set out.

The facts that the ayu fishing season on the Sagami River system opens on June 1 every year and continues until around mid-October, that in the Edo period ayu from the Sagami River were presented to the shogunate and carried to Edo along the Oyama Kaido, that Atsugi's ryotei restaurant culture flourished from the Taisho into the Showa era, and the details of ayu preparations and the restaurants serving them are based on the "Atsugi no Ayu" page of the Atsugi City Tourism Association's "Atsugi Kanko Navi." The extension of the fishing season to October 31 and the release figures of August 4, 2026 are based on information on the official website of the Nakatsugawa Fisheries Cooperative. The dates of the Atsugi Ayu Festival, the times of the grand fireworks display, the venues, the traffic restrictions and the timing of the paid seating announcement are based on the "80th Atsugi Ayu Festival (FY2026)" page of the Atsugi City official website. Dates, prices and business details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.