What is Himeji Oden?

Oden is a traditional Japanese dish made by stewing ingredients such as fish paste, daikon radish, konnyaku, and meat. It is a popular winter dish among Japanese people, and is also enjoyed at home.

In Himeji, oden is generally served with “ginger soy sauce,” which is made by adding grated ginger and soy sauce to Japanese soup stock made from bonito and kelp.

Himeji Oden is a soul food that locals enjoy year-round, not just in winter. There are so many ways to enjoy oden that it is difficult to sum it up in one word: dipping the ingredients in ginger soy sauce while eating or pouring a generous amount over the oden.

1.Jigoro Kohiro

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『白鷺盛り(Shirasagi-mori)』1,650 yen

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『conger eel』

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From the East Exit of JR Himeji Station, walk about 2 minutes toward the entrance of Omizo-suji Shopping Street. It is located in a corner of this row of buildings with restaurants and izakaya. If you see a red banner, it means that the restaurant is open for business.

“Jigoro Kohiro” is a local izakaya featuring gourmet food from Banshu area. The attraction of this izakaya is that you can enjoy the “taste of Himeji” such as “hine-pon” (hine-chicken with ponzu sauce) and locally produced “grilled conger eel” with locally brewed sake.

The izakaya’s top recommendation is “Himeji Oden,” which always has more than 15 kinds of ingredients available, and in winter, seafood items that are rarely eaten outside of Japan, such as milt and oysters, are also available.

A popular menu item that is ordered by many people, regardless of nationality, is the “Shirasagi-mori”. It is a sumptuous platter of five local ingredients: roe, radish, local octopus, conger eel, and chikuwa.

We recommend the slightly dry “Okuharima” sake to go with the sweet oden broth! The spiciness of the ginger soy sauce also enhances the aroma of the sake. Even if you are not accustomed to drinking sake, why not try the sharp taste of this local sake, which is blessed with sake rice and water?

2.Katei Ryori Izakaya YURURI

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『7種盛り合わせ(HIMEJI STYLE ODEN)』1,100 yen

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『姫路おでんラーメン(Oden ramen)』1,100 yen

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“YURURI” is located in Shiragi-cho, about 5 minutes away from Sanyo Himeji Station. The izakaya welcomes customers from all over the world, saying, “We want people to feel free to come and enjoy our original dishes and Himeji’s home cooking, regardless of nationality.

While English is used in the shop name and menu, the walls and coasters are decorated with Edo paintings, giving the shop a “Japaneseness” that can be felt everywhere. Many customers are curious about this, asking, “Where can I buy this?”

The owner of the izakaya, who has many years of experience in Japanese cuisine, including experience at a traditional Japanese kaiseki restaurant, is in charge of overall cooking. His creative cuisine, which is based on Japanese cuisine but incorporates free ideas, has been a hit with both locals and foreign tourists.

The signature dish, Himeji Oden, is made with a combination of bonito and kelp dashi broth and conger eel dashi broth, which is the restaurant’s own style. the combination of umami from the three ingredients is deep yet surprisingly clear and goes well with all 10 ingredients.

Don’t miss the “Himeji Oden Ramen,” a creative interpretation of Himeji Oden. It looks like soy sauce ramen, but it is so light that you might just gulp it down.

The taste, which is based on the secret broth of Himeji Oden and flavored with soy sauce and sesame oil, has a Himeji-like flavor, but also tastes like the old Japanese Chinese noodles you used to eat at a street stall. It is a dish that allows you to experience the various charms of Japanese food at once.

Home Cuisine YURURI, run by the owner who is good at creative cooking, also has a wide variety of off-the-menu items. Come and take a peek into Himeji’s home cooking through food.

3.Himeji sake and Himeji Oden Honpo

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『ちょい飲みセット(Choinomi Set)』1,000 yen

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『官兵衛さん(Kanbee-san)』700 yen

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For a short break while waiting for a train or bullet train, we recommend “Himeji sake and Himeji Oden Honpo” located in the “Piore Himeji Souvenir Museum.” The shop is an easy 30-second walk from the central ticket gate of JR Himeji Station, and tourists with suitcases in tow can be seen at any time of day or night.

The restaurant is located in the “Banshu Umaimondokoro” food court, which has 5 stores and 120 seats.

The restaurant offers a set menu with a variety of dishes so that customers can try as many different items as possible. In addition to the “Kanbei,” “Hideyoshi,” and “Nobunaga” oden platters, there is also a “Choinomi Set” that allows you to enjoy oden with local sake, making it a great place to start drinking alcohol from noon.

The “Oshiro Konnyaku” in the shape of Himeji Castle is a popular item that is included in every oden platter. Other items on the menu include “Kanbei Renkonbou,” a combination of Himeji’s specialty fish paste and lotus root, and other items typical of the town.

In addition to the value-priced set menu, the restaurant also offers individual oden dishes for 150 yen, 200 yen, and 250 yen.

Takeout is also available, so you can use it when you don’t have time to savor it in the restaurant or when you want to take it back to your hotel!

4.Oden to Kushikatsu Himeji no Omise

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『おでん7点盛り(Assorted Oden 7pieces)』1,320 yen

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“Oden to Kushikatsu Himeji no Omise” is located in “Noren-gai,” a drinking street near Himeji Station with a retro Showa-era atmosphere. The izakaya, lit by red lanterns with the word “oden” written on them, serves “Himeji oden” and freshly fried fluffy kushikatsu that rival those of the real Osaka, as well as more than 100 kinds of drinks to go with them.

In Japan, “ikitsuke” refers to a regular spot that people often visit, and for locals, this izakaya is one of those. Regular customers look for oden, kushikatsu, Himeji’s B-class gourmet “chanpon-yaki,” and other local delicacies on the menu.

The most popular oden dish is the “Oden 7-Piece Platter,” which offers seven different kinds of ingredients. It is recommended to eat the ingredients soaked in broth with a generous amount of spicy ginger soy sauce.

In addition to this, there are five other kinds of ingredients, for a total of about 12 different kinds, so if you try them all, you will definitely be full both in your stomach and in your heart. Come and taste for yourself the flavor that the locals love!