[Kanazawa City] If you want to enjoy oden (Japanese hot pot dish), here are 10 recommended restaurants

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Oden Takasago is an oden (Japanese stew) izakaya in the Katamachi area, Kanazawa City's downtown district, and it was founded in 1936.

The inside is said to feel somehow nostalgic, as if you had slipped back in time to old Japan. At the counter seats, you can spend your time watching the oden being prepared.

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The oden at this restaurant is known for its Kanto-style dashi broth, something rare in Kanazawa, which has been topped up and reused since the restaurant first opened.

Along with classic Kanazawa oden items like bai-gai (whelk) and beef tendon, they also offer unusual options such as doteyaki (miso-simmered beef sinew) and curry oden. Some people raved that every item was excellent.

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If the timing works out, be sure to try the winter-only kanimen (female snow crab shell dish) as well. You need to reserve it in advance to order.

This dish fills the shell with all parts of a female zuwai-gani (snow crab), including uchiko (immature roe), sotoko (outer roe), and meat, then soaks it in dashi (broth) for about 10 minutes. It is said to be packed with crab flavor and goes perfectly with the broth.

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This restaurant lets you enjoy traditional Kanazawa oden (Kanazawa-style simmered hotpot) in a modern kaiseki (traditional multi-course Japanese meal) style. It is a 5-minute walk from the Tsuzumi-mon Gate at the east exit of Kanazawa Station.

The restaurant pays close attention not only to the food but also to the space itself, and the interior, renovated from a 100-year-old machiya (traditional townhouse), has an elegant Japanese atmosphere. There is also a Private room that can accommodate up to 15 people.

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They offer several oden kaiseki (traditional multi-course meal centered on oden) courses made with fresh ingredients shipped directly from nearby areas, and reservations are required.

For the oden, they change the dashi broth depending on the ingredient, and you can also enjoy Hokuriku region specialties such as nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) and kuruma-fu (wheel-shaped wheat gluten). After ordering a course, you can add A la carte items.

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The kaiseki course includes much more than oden (Japanese hot pot dish), with a full lineup of sashimi, grilled dishes, and a meal to finish.

The otsukuri (sashimi assortment) of kue (longtooth grouper), a premium fish, served that day was also well received for its great texture and taste. If you like Japanese sake, it is also recommended to enjoy it paired with local sake from Ishikawa.

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Ganso Kanazawa Robata Appare Katamachi Honten is a Japanese izakaya where you can enjoy great dishes and local sake from Ishikawa, Toyama, and Fukui. It is the perfect place when you want to fully enjoy flavors unique to the region.

The interior is said to have an atmosphere that is ideal for everyone to have a good time together. A wide range of seating options, including counter seats and Private room seating, is also part of its appeal.

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Kanazawa oden (Kanazawa-style oden), prepared over 5 hours each morning by adding to the dashi stock, is popular here. It is made with the restaurant's own recipe, and they say you can enjoy oden packed with good flavor.

The ingredients change daily, with more than 12 varieties available. If it is your first time trying Kanazawa oden, the assortment menu is recommended.

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Made with fresh seafood gathered from across the Hokuriku region at Kanazawa Central Wholesale Market, this sashimi boat platter is one item you will want to order.

It comes piled high with thick cut sashimi in a bold presentation that really gets your appetite going. The kinds of fish seem to change with the season.

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Chikuwa is an oden restaurant in Katamachi, a busy downtown area about 10 minutes from Kanazawa Station by bus. It is popular for serving lightly seasoned oden that is highly satisfying.

The stylish and clean interior is said to have a calm atmosphere where you can relax and take your time.

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The dashi used to simmer the oden is made with a base of Rishiri kombu kelp and several kinds of shaved bonito flakes, with Special salt, soy sauce, and other seasonings added.

The oden, well infused with the flavor of the dashi, fills your mouth with umami when you take a bite, and though simple, it clearly shows the care that goes into making it.

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Chikuwa (tube shaped fish cake), one of the classic oden items, is a kneaded fish paste dish made with fish meat. At this shop, they make each one using the old fashioned method of wrapping it around a stick by hand.

They are particular about keeping everything Homemade, from steaming to grilling, and it is well liked for being soft and tasty.

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Kuroyuri is an oden restaurant founded in 1953, located inside Kanazawa Hyakubangai, the shopping complex within Kanazawa Station.

One of its draws is that you can casually enjoy Kanazawa oden along with local gifts from the mountains and sea and local sake. It is said to have a cozy atmosphere where you can relax without feeling formal.

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The oden at this restaurant is known for its dashi broth, which has been carefully passed down through three generations since the business was founded. The flavor soaks all the way into the center of each ingredient, and it is said to be excellent.

They use a secret dashi broth made from two different kinds of katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), niboshi (dried sardines), and kombu kelp, giving it a lightly sweet note and a clean taste.

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If you want to enjoy it with a drink, the "Suji Nikomi" with chunks of beef tendon is also recommended.

You can choose from three seasoning styles: miso topping, green onion topping, or a combo. The miso topping looks almost like cheese and seems to have a rich flavor that goes great with drinks.

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Akadama Honten is a popular oden (Japanese hot pot dish with various ingredients simmered in broth) izakaya, with many local regulars. The calm Japanese style interior is said to make it easy to visit with anyone.

On the 1st floor, there are counter and table seats, while the 2nd floor is fully equipped with zashiki (tatami room seating) and Sunken kotatsu seating.

They offer a wide range of oden (Japanese hot pot dishes simmered in broth), where you can enjoy a traditional flavor that has been preserved for generations, with options from the classics to seasonal limited items.

The broth is said to have a gentle flavor that is not too strong, and the ingredients become more and more tasty with each bite as their flavor comes through. They offer not only A la carte items but also assortment menus.

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The “beef tendon stew” and “Ganso Yudofu (original boiled tofu),” both made with the same carefully prepared dashi as the oden, are also said to be very good.

The “Ganso Yudofu” is served in a bubbling Hot Pot, making it a welcome dish in the colder months. The piping hot dashi and tofu are said to go perfectly together.

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Hokuriku Kaisen Kanazawa Oden Kairiki is a seafood izakaya with a huge in-store fish tank that makes quite an impression. Its Kanazawa oden (Kanazawa-style oden), a specialty of Ishikawa Prefecture, is also popular.

A 3-minute walk from Kanazawa Station, the location is a big plus, and the restaurant has counter seats that are just right for small groups, easy-to-use table seating, and a Private room for up to 15 people.

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The oden flavored with katsuo dashi (bonito broth) is popular for its so-good-you’ll-want-to-finish-every-drop broth, and they serve it year-round regardless of the season.

Along with classic oden items like daikon radish and konnyaku, they also offer plenty of Kanazawa-style ingredients such as bai-gai (whelk) and kurumafu (wheat gluten rings). The broth-soaked oden pairs perfectly with Japanese sake.

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The restaurant also offers a full range of dishes made with fresh seasonal fish shipped directly from Kanazawa Port. In particular, they highly recommend trying bai-gai (whelk), gasu-ebi (deep-water shrimp), and nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), all local specialties of Hokuriku.

One of the big draws is that you can enjoy the natural taste of the ingredients in many different preparations, from sashimi to grilled dishes and simmered dishes.

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Kanazawa Oden to Sumibiyaki Tori Private room Izakaya Gappa Kanazawa Ekimae Ten, about a 2-minute walk from Kanazawa Station East Exit, is an izakaya with Private rooms where you can enjoy Kanazawa oden (Kanazawa-style oden) and sumibi yakitori (charcoal-grilled chicken skewers).

The Private rooms can accommodate anywhere from 2 people to large groups, making them perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy conversation and food without worrying about the people around them. The dimly lit space also makes it easy to relax and enjoy conversation, meals, and drinks.

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The gently seasoned oden (Japanese stew) lets you enjoy ingredients that are unique to Kanazawa and not often seen in other regions.

You will also want to order the oden with an extra touch, such as daikon radish topped with tororo kombu kelp or a soft-boiled egg topped with salmon roe. Local Japanese sake is also available.

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If you want some easy bites to go with your oden (Japanese hot pot dish), the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) boldly grilled over charcoal are also recommended.

They offer a wide range of cuts such as gizzard and Outside skirt, along with plenty of unusual skewers like shiitake mushroom with truffle salted butter and camembert with honey. They also serve charcoal grilled dishes that are not served on skewers.

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Niku & Oden Kanazawa Fudo Kenkyujo is a popular spot in the basement of Porte Kanazawa, about a 3-minute walk from Kanazawa Station East Exit, where you can enjoy local dishes from Kanazawa and Kanazawa oden (Kanazawa-style oden).

The casual interior, just what you would expect from an izakaya (Japanese pub), stands out, and it has an atmosphere where anyone can feel free to stop by. Inside, there are counter seats and table seats.

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The menu is full of dishes made with fresh seafood and local specialties such as Kanazawa oden (Kanazawa-style oden), all using ingredients the area is proud of.

One thing to enjoy with more than 10 kinds of local sake is oden. The light broth soaks well into the ingredients, and people say it tastes great.

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Reviews say the Strip loin steak made with Noto-gyu (Japanese Black wagyu raised in Ishikawa Prefecture) is also popular.

The juicy meat releases more sweetness with every bite and is said to have a melt-in-your-mouth taste. For people who do not like beef, the Noto-buta (pork) loin steak is recommended.

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Robata to Oden Koronagirai Kanazawa Ekimae Ten is a restaurant where you can enjoy the popular All you can eat oden and a wide variety of robatayaki (fireside grill) dishes. It is right by Kanazawa Station, so it is also convenient when everyone is meeting up.

The interior has a Japanese modern feel, with soft lighting that creates a warm and relaxing atmosphere.

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One of the highlights is the All you can eat oden (Japanese hot pot items simmered in broth) menu. You can get as many refills as you like of the wide variety of oden.

The clear broth soaks well into the ingredients, and the gentle aroma of the dashi broth is hard to resist. The classic daikon radish is said to be so tender you can cut it with chopsticks.

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The robatayaki (Japanese hearth-grilled dishes) menu, which grills fresh seafood, vegetables, meat, and other ingredients, is also popular. The toasty aroma the moment it arrives is said to really whet your appetite.

The "Tenshi no Ebi Kushi (skewered angel prawns)" is known for its plump texture and refined sweetness, and is said to be delicious even when eaten whole with the shell on.