How to Order Oden in Japan: A Guide to Convenience Stores and Oden Shops

On a cold day in Japan, you may notice an oden display near a convenience-store register. Inside sit daikon, eggs and a few unfamiliar fish cakes, meaning savory fish-paste products rather than anything sweet. Some stores use a heated counter setup, while others may offer sealed products or no oden at all. Either way, ordering is usually much easier than the unfamiliar ingredients suggest. Still, the setup varies from store to store, so a little preparation helps. This guide shows you how to order oden: what to look for, what to say and which pieces to try first. After that, it covers prices, dietary pitfalls and two classic Tokyo oden shops. TOCWhat Is Oden? Oden (おでん) is a Japanese dish of ingredients simmered ahead of time and kept warm in a seasoned broth. For Tokyo, MAFF describes a dashi of kombu and katsuobushi seasoned with soy sauce. Common pieces usually include daikon, boiled eggs, konnyaku and fish cakes. Unlike a nabe hot pot cooked at the table, the pieces are sold ready to eat. For a wider overview, see our main oden guide. おでんOden at a Glance Japanese nameおでん (oden) Dish typePrecooked ingredients kept warm in seasoned dashi Typical brothKombu and katsuobushi with so...