Miyazaki Prefecture's oden (Japanese hot pot dish)! 8 popular picks by area, including Miyakonojo oden

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About a 9-minute walk from Nishi-Miyakonojo Station, this is a place right in front of the Miyakonojo Regional Joint Government Building where you can enjoy Miyakonojo oden (Miyakonojo-style oden).

The interior has a calm and cozy Japanese feel, with the look of a small kappo-style restaurant. On the counter, Hot Pot pots filled with simmering oden ingredients are lined up, and wooden menu plaques hang overhead.

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The specialty is oden (Japanese stew) made with a salt based broth. The dashi made from Rishiri kombu kelp and magurobushi (dried tuna flakes) is said to have a gentle, comforting taste.

One of the draws is the wide variety, from classics to more unusual options. The most popular item is said to be the daikon radish, which is slowly simmered over 4〜5 days.

Photograph:気まぐれ小僧

The photo shows “Braised Pork Cartilage with Miso.” The Cartilage is simmered in a special added-to-over-time miso sauce, giving it a rich, tender, almost melting texture.

It has a sweet and savory flavor with good depth, and a touch of karashi (Japanese mustard) adds just the right accent. It is said to be a perfect dish to go with drinks.

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Oden Jungle is a restaurant with more than 70 years of history, located about a 3-minute walk from Miyakonojo Station.

Inside, the restaurant offers table seating, counter seating, and zashiki (traditional tatami seating). The space works well for many occasions, and people say it is easy to stop by even on your own.

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They use a carefully made broth that has been topped up since the restaurant first opened. The dashi combines kombu kelp, bonito, chicken bones, and soy sauce, and the flavors that seep out from the ingredients add even more depth.

The large pieces are very satisfying to eat, and the finishing yuzu adds a nice accent. Above all, oyashi (Miyazaki term for bean sprouts) is a must order.

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They also offer a wide selection of kushiyaki (grilled skewers) and a la carte dishes. Among them, the yakitori gets great reviews, with many saying the grilling and seasoning with salt are just right and make it perfect with drinks.

They grill it over bincho-tan (high-grade white charcoal), so the outside turns crisp and fragrant while the inside stays juicy.

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Tori Dashi Oden Tokidoki Sakana Raiden is a spot just steps from Miyakonojo Station where you can enjoy Miyakonojo oden. The wood toned interior has a bright and open feel.

Along with table seating, the restaurant also offers Sunken kotatsu seating and counter seats, making it an easy place to use for all kinds of occasions.

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The oden is made with a special dashi broth based on bones from asa-biki jidori (freshly slaughtered local chicken), several kinds of vegetables, and kombu kelp from Hokkaido. It is rich yet has a light, clean taste.

Each ingredient is tender and full of flavor, with a soft texture that almost falls apart.

Photograph:気まぐれ小僧

The "Momo Sumibiyaki" grilled over binchotan (high-grade Japanese charcoal) is also popular. It uses Miyazaki Akadori (Miyazaki red chicken), a branded chicken known for its natural rich flavor, depth, and plump, springy texture.

The nice aroma of charcoal spreads through the dish, and each bite brings out more of its deep flavor, making it a very satisfying plate.

Photograph:おおちゃん880

A 15-minute walk from Miyakonojo Station, this is a udon specialty restaurant run by a major domestic chain. They are particular about their dashi broth, carefully making it from mackerel, kombu kelp, and shiitake mushrooms.

The spacious interior is an easy place to dine for everyone, from solo guests to families.

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One of the highlights here is that you can enjoy oden (Japanese stew with assorted ingredients) that makes the most of the rich dashi flavor all year round. You can order your favorite items one by one, and they also offer the popular "Oden 5-Piece Set," which brings together some of their most popular selections.

The top recommendation is the beef tendon. It is said to have an amazing soft, bouncy texture with the dashi flavor soaked in all the way through.

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The Most Popular item on the udon menu is "Niku Gobo-ten Udon." This Manzoku bowl is topped with sweet and savory seasoned beef and crispy fried burdock root tempura.

The chewy house-made noodles pair well with the carefully made dashi (Japanese soup stock), and people say it stays enjoyable all the way to the last bite.

Photograph:P in Japan

This izakaya is located at an intersection along Tachibana-dori, about a 15-minute walk from Miyazaki Station. The interior has the warmth of wood, with a stylish and cozy atmosphere.

The U-shaped counter stands out, and you can enjoy your meal at a relaxed pace. Another draw is the chance to try oden and à la carte dishes made with ingredients from Miyazaki.

The oden ranges from classics like daikon radish and eggs to more unique ingredients such as shungiku (garland chrysanthemum) and renkon manju (lotus root dumpling). It is known for its clear broth and refined flavor.

One especially popular item is the whole stewed tomato oden. The aroma of the broth soaks in well, and it is a favorite in reviews too.

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The photo shows the restaurant’s signature Spice Keema Curry, served at lunchtime. It features a deep flavor made with more than 15 kinds of spices and oden (Japanese hot pot) broth.

Along with its sharp heat, you can taste the sweetness of the vegetables, and people say it is addictively good.

"Takasago" is a casual izakaya (Japanese pub) on Nishitachibana-dori. Inside, the red paper lanterns and U-shaped counter stand out, and the restaurant offers table seating, tatami seating, and Sunken kotatsu seating.

You can enjoy oden (Japanese hot pot dishes), Miyazaki specialties, and Homemade a la carte dishes. It is a popular spot that is often lively with local regulars.

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The oden (Japanese hot pot items simmered in broth), slowly cooked in a carefully made dashi (Japanese soup stock), stands out for its gentle seasoning. The large pieces are satisfying to eat, and there are always 15 or more kinds available.

The flavor of the dashi soaks in well, and it is said to have a comforting taste. It is also recommended to enjoy it with shochu (Japanese distilled spirit) from Miyazaki.

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The photo shows their classic dish, nikomi (simmered stew). The daikon radish and carrots are simmered until tender, and it is known for its deep flavor that brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables.

The generous topping of green onions is said to add the perfect accent. Another popular way to enjoy it is with karashi (Japanese mustard), which lets you enjoy a change in flavor.

Photograph:旅浪漫

Located about a 7-minute walk from Miyazaki Station, Choppen is a casual izakaya (Japanese pub) on the east side of the Tachibana-dori Chuo Shopping Street. It mainly serves local dishes from Kyushu and Miyazaki.

The calm interior, decorated around a reddish-brown color scheme, has open and airy table seating. There is also a counter-seat-only menu, making it an easy place to stop by even on your own.

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The "tori-dashi oden (oden simmered in chicken broth)," slowly cooked in chicken bone broth, is a standard menu item at this restaurant. It is rich yet has a gentle flavor.

The ingredients soak up the umami well, and many people end up finishing even the soup.

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There is also a wide variety of kushiyaki (grilled skewers), including yakitori made with jidori (local chicken) slaughtered that morning and beef skewers made with Miyazaki-gyu (Miyazaki beef). Among them, the "shiro reba (white liver)" stands out for its rich, creamy taste with few off notes.

Paired with green onion salt sauce, its flavor is said to come out even more.

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Tenryo Udon Showamachi Ten is a udon specialty restaurant located an 11-minute walk from Nobeoka Station, along National Route 10. It is part of a chain centered in northern Miyazaki Prefecture, where you can enjoy Tenryo udon, a local favorite.

In addition to table seating, there are also raised tatami seating areas, creating a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy your meal.

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Next to the register, there is an oden nabe (Japanese stew Hot Pot), and you serve yourself onto a plate. Locals say it is standard to enjoy some oden while waiting for your udon.

Every ingredient is well soaked with flavor and has a comforting taste. Among them, the atsuage (deep-fried tofu) filled with plenty of dashi is especially popular in reviews.

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The photo shows the standard Tenryo Udon. It is served in a kamaage style (udon served straight from the pot), and despite the thin noodles, it has a chewy texture.

The dipping broth has a soy sauce base made with Makurazaki katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Hokkaido ma kombu kelp, and Miyazaki dried shiitake mushrooms. It is a bowl to enjoy with the dipping sauce topped with special tempura bits.