Shizuoka oden is a variation of ''

oden is a type of nabemono (Japanese one-pot dishes) consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon or konjac, and processed fishcakes stewed in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth. Oden was originally what is now commonly call ...

'', a stew-like

Japanese food Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...

consisting of fish paste cakes, boiled eggs, ''

daikon Daikon 大根 (だいこん) or mooli, (مولی) ''Raphanus sativus'' var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia ...

'', potatoes, kelp rolls, '' konnyaku'', and other ingredients that are first boiled, then kept simmering in a

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish, or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups ...

until consumption.

Overviews

Shizuoka oden differs from other types of oden in two ways: the preparation of the broth and the way every ingredient is skewered on a stick. The broth is made with beef sinew (instead of the dried skipjack flakes used in other types of oden) and seasoned with strong

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

. Because the simmering broth is only replenished rather than discarded, it takes on a very deep, brown-black color, but this process of adding new broth to old is what gives Shizuoka oden a distinctive flavor. Like other types of oden, Shizuoka oden is particularly suitable for consumption in the colder seasons because of its warming effect, much like hot

soups Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot – though it is sometimes served chilled – made by cooking or otherwise combining meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. According to '' The Oxford Companion to Food'' ...

and

stews A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, ...

served in other countries with cold seasons. Shizuoka oden is best eaten and paired with spicy ''karashi'' mustard.

History

Originating in the 14th century during the Muromachi period, shizuoka oden initially began as a dish called

dengaku were rustic Japanese celebrations that can be classified into two types: that developed as a musical accompaniment to rice planting observances, and the dances that developed in conjunction with . The celebrated for rice planting was perform ...

, which consisted of grilled tofu skewered topped with

miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning. It is a thick paste produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji (the fungus ''Aspergillus oryzae''), and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients. It is used for sauces and spreads; p ...

sauce.Gigi. “Oden – Traditional, Wintery Taste of Japan.” Arigato Travel, 11 Dec. 2017, https://arigatojapan.co.jp/oden-traditional-wintery-taste-of-japan/#:~:text=Oden%20is%20said%20to%20have,name%3B%20hence%20%E2%80%9Coden%E2%80%9D. It is believed that oden was created to make use of the leftover fish and vegetables. The name was eventually shortened to “den” with an honorific “o” at the beginning, creating the name “oden”.Gigi. “Oden – Traditional, Wintery Taste of Japan.” Arigato Travel, 11 Dec. 2017, https://arigatojapan.co.jp/oden-traditional-wintery-taste-of-japan/#:~:text=Oden%20is%20said%20to%20have,name%3B%20hence%20%E2%80%9Coden%E2%80%9D. During the Edo period, tofu stew was mainly cooked with a robust soy sauce and a soup made from a blend of

konbu ''Konbu'' (from ) is edible kelp mostly from the family Laminariaceae and is widely eaten in East Asia. It may also be referred to as ''dasima'' () or ''haidai'' (). Kelp features in the diets of many civilizations, including Chinese and Icela ...

(seaweed),

whale meat Whale meat, broadly speaking, may include all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) and all parts of the animal: muscle (meat), organs (offal), skin (muktuk), and fat (blubber). There is relatively little demand for whale meat, compared to far ...

, and beef tendons, but later on, whale meat was not used anymore.Shizuoka Gourmet. (2010, February 5). Oden: A shizuoka specialty! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/oden-a-shizuoka-specialty/ After the Meiji period, people started adding ingredients like konnyaku and eggs into the mix.Gigi. “Oden – Traditional, Wintery Taste of Japan.” Arigato Travel, 11 Dec. 2017, https://arigatojapan.co.jp/oden-traditional-wintery-taste-of-japan/#:~:text=Oden%20is%20said%20to%20have,name%3B%20hence%20%E2%80%9Coden%E2%80%9D. Shizuoka oden is a popular dish at festivals and stalls throughout Japan. Oden was initially offered at street stalls, but nowadays it can be found in

izakaya An () is a type of informal Japanese Bar (establishment), bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. are casual places for after-work drinking, similar to a pub, a Spanish tapas bar, or an American saloon or tavern. Etymology The word e ...

, restaurants, convenience stores, and canned products in vending machines.Gigi. “Oden – Traditional, Wintery Taste of Japan.” Arigato Travel, 11 Dec. 2017, https://arigatojapan.co.jp/oden-traditional-wintery-taste-of-japan/#:~:text=Oden%20is%20said%20to%20have,name%3B%20hence%20%E2%80%9Coden%E2%80%9D.

Broth

Although different regions of Japan say they all have unique ways of making shizuoka oden broth, variations could be divided into 3 main categories:Shizuoka Gourmet. (2010, February 5). Oden: A shizuoka specialty! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/oden-a-shizuoka-specialty/ # In the

Kansai The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...

region or Western Japanese, the broth is more likely to be seen as light. # In the

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...

area, oden is served with miso soup. # In the

Kanto region Japanese Kanto is a simplified spelling of , a Japanese word, only omitting the diacritics. In Japan Kantō may refer to: *Kantō Plain *Kantō region * Kantō-kai, organized crime group * Kanto (Pokémon), a geographical region in the ''Pokém ...

or Eastern Japan, oden is cooked in a dark broth.

East versus West

Shizuoka oden is a traditional Japanese dish that is popular in both West and East Japan. The main difference between the two versions is the ingredients and broth used. In West Japan, the stew is seasoned with light soy sauce with

mirin is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol (drug), alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms natur ...

and

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

, and left to lightly simmer in the pot.Omura, Y. (2022, August 5). Oden (Japanese winter stew). Sudachi Recipes. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://sudachirecipes.com/oden-japanese-winter-stew/#a-complete-guide-to-oden-ingredients It is common to see people use more meat in oden in the West, like beef tendon and

octopus An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like oth ...

dark soy sauce In Chinese cuisine, dark soy sauce () is a dark-coloured soy sauce used mainly for adding colour and flavour to dishes. It is richer, slightly thicker, and less salty than other types of soy sauce. As the Chinese name () suggests, it is also age ...

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

, and

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

that is used.Omura, Y. (2022, August 5). Oden (Japanese winter stew). Sudachi Recipes. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://sudachirecipes.com/oden-japanese-winter-stew/#a-complete-guide-to-oden-ingredients The broth is left to simmer for a longer time and the most popular ingredient included in their broth is

fish cake A fishcake (sometimes written as fish cake) is a culinary dish consisting of filleted fish or other seafood minced or ground, mixed with a starchy ingredient, and fried until golden. Asian-style fishcakes usually contain fish with salt, water, ...

.Omura, Y. (2022, August 5). Oden (Japanese winter stew). Sudachi Recipes. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://sudachirecipes.com/oden-japanese-winter-stew/#a-complete-guide-to-oden-ingredients The broth is best cooked slowly over low to medium-low heat because if it starts boiling, it might cause ingredients like the eggs to break, which will ruin the clarity of the soup.Omura, Y. (2022, August 5). Oden (Japanese winter stew). Sudachi Recipes. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://sudachirecipes.com/oden-japanese-winter-stew/#a-complete-guide-to-oden-ingredients Simmering the broth for several hours will allow the flavors to develop and will create a richer and more flavorful broth. Additionally, adding ingredients like

mushrooms A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. ''Toadstool'' generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

and other vegetables can enhance the flavor of the broth.

Ingredients

Top 10 favorite ingredients and their popularity:Evol. (2021, February 25). 好きなおでんの具、2位「大根」、3位「牛すじ」、1位はなに? マイナビニュース. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20210225-1736046/ #

Boiled egg Boiled eggs are typically from a chicken, and are cooked with their shells unbroken, usually by immersion in boiling water. Hard-boiled or hard-cooked eggs are cooked so that the egg white and egg yolk both solidify, while soft-boiled eggs may l ...

: 28.3% #

Radish The radish (''Raphanus sativus'') is a flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its large taproot is commonly used as a root vegetable, although the entire plant is edible and its leaves are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable. Origina ...

(daikon): 27.2% # Beef tendon (gyusuji): 8.4% # Mochi purse (Kinchaku): 5.9% #

Hanpen is a white, square, triangle or round surimi product (fish or meat paste) with a soft, mild taste. It is believed to have been invented during the Edo period in Japan by a chef, of Suruga Province, Suruga, and the dish is named after him.

:5.5% # Atsuage: 4.6% # Chikuwabu: 4.2% # Konjac (Konnyaku): 3.6% #

Ganmodoki is a fried tofu fritter made with vegetables, such as carrots, lotus roots and burdock. It may also contain egg. ''Ganmodoki'' means ''pseudo-goose'' ( + ). This is because ganmodoki is said to taste like goose; compare mock turtle soup. ''Ganm ...

: 3.4% # Others: 3.2% Alternative ingredients:Omura, Y. (2022, August 5). Oden (Japanese winter stew). Sudachi Recipes. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://sudachirecipes.com/oden-japanese-winter-stew/#a-complete-guide-to-oden-ingredients #

(chicken or quail) # Firm

tofu or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...

Potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...

Carrots The carrot (''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the Daucus ...

Tsukune is a Japanese chicken meatball most often cooked yakitori style (but also can be fried, baked, or boiled) and sometimes covered in a sweet soy or yakitori ''tare'', which is often mistaken for teriyaki sauce. Summary Thickeners are added to ...

(Japanese chicken meatball) # Tsumire (Japanese

fishball Fish balls are balls made from fish paste which are then boiled or deep-fried. Similar in composition to fishcake, fish balls are often made from fish mince or surimi, salt, and a culinary binder such as tapioca flour, corn, or potato starc ...

) # Rolled

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...

(seasoned pork wrapped in cabbage) # Boiled

# Hot dog

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

Shizuoka Oden Food Alley

Aoba Koen Park Street used to be lined with food stands that served oden and drinks from the afternoon into the morning time.Shizuoka Gourmet. (2010, February 5). Oden: A shizuoka specialty! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/oden-a-shizuoka-specialty/ It is an excellent way to enjoy a unique Japanese dish while enjoying the park street atmosphere. Since the hygiene law in the 1960s were passed, these stands were forced to move indoor and eventually becoming the Aoba Oden Alley.Shizuoka Gourmet. (2010, February 5). Oden: A shizuoka specialty! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/oden-a-shizuoka-specialty/ This alley is a popular street food area that's known to serve traditional Japanese dish, consisting of various ingredients that are simmered in

dashi is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. ''Dashi'' forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour b ...

broth. The Aoba Oden Alley is great place to visit for those looking for a unique and tasty snack. Each shop is able to seat about 6-9 customers at a time and many customers are regulars, meaning they eat at the shop often.Dragonlife. (2012, November 23). Oden & Odenya in Shizuoka City: A secret & sacred way of life! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/2012/11/23/oden-odenya-in-shizuoka-city-a-secret-6-sacred-way-of-kife/ In the oden alley, some serve oden and others serve a more homemade type of food. Usually when the owner retires, a younger person looking to start a small business or a former customer will take over the business.Dragonlife. (2012, November 23). Oden & Odenya in Shizuoka City: A secret & sacred way of life! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/2012/11/23/oden-odenya-in-shizuoka-city-a-secret-6-sacred-way-of-kife/

Shizuoka Festival

Every year in mid-February, a Shizuoka Oden Festival is held in Aoba Koen and Gofuku-cho area where adults and children all come together for fun.Shizuoka Gourmet. (2010, February 5). Oden: A shizuoka specialty! SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://shizuokagourmet.com/oden-a-shizuoka-specialty/ The festival included traditional music and dance performances, food stalls,

fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

, and other activities. The festival is aimed at promoting the region's

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

and

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

, and is attended by thousands of people from all around the country. People come to enjoy the food and entertainment at the festival, as well as to mingle with the locals and experience the culture of

Shizuoka Shizuoka can refer to: * Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese prefecture * Shizuoka (city), the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture * Shizuoka Airport * Shizuoka Domain, the name from 1868 to 1871 for Sunpu Domain was a feudal domain under the Tok ...

References

External links

* Japanese cuisine Shizuoka (city) ja:おでん#静岡県静岡市 {{Japan-cuisine-stub