Local Guide
6 famous restaurants with a reputation for delicious Kanazawa oden, a typical Kanazawa gourmet dish

Oden is a year-round staple in Kanazawa, one of the best oden towns in Japan. A unique oden culture known as "Kanazawa oden" has developed, and a wide variety of oden dishes are available that are rich in local flavor and incorporate many local ingredients, including the city's specialty, fu (wheat gluten), seafood such as bai clam and crab, and vegetables from Kaga.
The city is also dotted with many famous oden restaurants. Here are some of the recommended restaurants, ranging from long-established establishments to those that boast of their flavor, and which are frequented by locals.

A long-established Kanazawa oden restaurant that has been in business for more than 80 years and has been in business for three generations.

(Clockwise from the front: 2 pieces of
(Clockwise from the front: 2 pieces of "suji" for 350 yen, "baikai" at market price (700-900 yen), "fukashi" for 300 yen, etc.)

Oden izakaya was established in 1936. You can enjoy Kanto style oden made from shavings of sardines and horse mackerels, Rishiri kelp, and seasoned with soy sauce. There are about 25 kinds of oden, including "baikai," a type of mussel, "fukashi," a traditional food made by steaming fish paste, and other items typical of Kanazawa.
Recommended is "Kanazawa hirozu," a special ganmodoki, which is filled with ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, a specialty of the prefecture, and "Kaga renkon" (lotus root). Another specialty is the miso sauce, which has been handed down from the first generation. White miso mixed with grated ginger goes exceptionally well with "suji" (beef) and "daikon" (radish).

Original menus such as "Curry Oden" are also popular.

A restaurant with a Showa-era atmosphere. A famous restaurant selected as a Bib Gourmand in the
A restaurant with a Showa-era atmosphere. A famous restaurant selected as a Bib Gourmand in the "Michelin Guide Toyama/Ishikawa (Kanazawa) 2016 Special Edition.

In addition to the ginger miso sauce, which has been passed down from generation to generation, the restaurant is also known for its original menu items created by the third generation owner, such as "fish noodle" made of fish paste and "Negima" made of tuna and green onion skewered on a stick.
The "Curry Oden" is a dish based on Kanazawa Curry, a local specialty. It is a Japanese-style dish that adds flavor to the rich curry with oden broth, and includes oden ingredients such as chikuwa, thread konnyaku, grilled tofu, daikon radish, and kuruma-fu (wheat gluten). Rice and somen noodles can be added (extra charge), and are popular as a final dish.

Oden Takasago
  • Address 1-3-29 Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Bus Direction Take a circular bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo (in front of Atrio), and walk about 3 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 16:00-22:00 (closes when all oden is gone)
  • Closed Sunday, Holidays
  • TEL 076-231-1018
  • Parking None
  • Memo Credit cards not accepted

Kanazawa Oden store that local customers have been praising. The most popular dish is the "Crab Mask" available only in winter.

Oden dishes, clockwise from the front, include
Oden dishes, clockwise from the front, include "Shiitake Mushroom" (200 yen), "Goshoguruma" (300 yen), and others. The plate in the back is "Tororo Teppan" for 700 yen (tax not included).

The restaurant is a local favorite with 80% of the customers being regulars. The restaurant offers about 40 kinds of oden, from the standard Kanazawa oden such as "Goshoguruma," a fu (wheat gluten) filled with minced cod and vegetables, and "Akamakihaben," a red spiral-shaped fish paste, to oddballs such as "Dashimaki Dashi-maki Tamago (rolled egg). The broth with onion as a secret ingredient is slightly sweet and blends well with all ingredients.
Especially in winter, the restaurant offers a wide selection of oden, including "shirako (milt)" and "gensuke daikon (radish)," a Kaga vegetable. Among them, "crab masks" made of Kabako crab shells stuffed with leg meat are available only from mid-November until the end of the year, and are such a delicacy that reservations are made several months in advance.

Seafood dishes using natural products and a variety of original menus are also noteworthy.

The restaurant has an unpretentious and comfortable atmosphere. In addition to the main tatami room, there are also counter seats.
The restaurant has an unpretentious and comfortable atmosphere. In addition to the main tatami room, there are also counter seats.

In the folk art-style restaurant decorated with masks and kites, you can enjoy not only oden but also a variety of obanzai and a la carte dishes prepared by the proprietress. The chef, who has more than 20 years of experience working at a fresh fish restaurant, will serve you with a selection of the best seasonal seafood, such as hamo (eel), white shrimp, and tiger puffer fish.
The "Sankoage" (homemade Satsuma-age), "Tororo Teppan" (grilled grated yam with shrimp and octopus), and other creative dishes are also very popular. The "Oden Ramen," which is always sold out, is an original dish using Oden soup stock.
More than a dozen varieties of Ishikawa's famous sake are also available.

Oden A la carte Sanko Saikawa
  • Address 102 Bergamo Building, 1-9-8 Katamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  • Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi (Pasion-mae)" and walk 2 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 18:00-23:00 (L.O.)
  • Closed Sunday, Holidays
  • TEL 076-262-1332
  • Parking None
  • Memo Credit cards not accepted. Reservations required for "Crab side".

Kanazawa's gorgeous oden, "crab mask," is said to have originated at this restaurant.

The
The "Sanshoku Namafu" (three-colored fu) is 200 yen, and "Kaga Futa Cucumber" (cucumber), available only from May to August, is 100 yen and up. In the back is "Doteyaki" for 250 yen each (tax not included).

Koubako crab, a specialty of Hokuriku in winter, is a female snow crab. The shell is stuffed with the meat of the crab, making the crab mask an extravagant oden. Known as the originator of kanimomen, this restaurant offers a sumptuous dish that includes not only the crab meat but also the outer and inner roe, allowing you to enjoy the roe and crab miso as well (from mid-November to the end of the year). The restaurant is also popular for its unique oden dishes, such as Kaga vegetable "kinjiso" kneaded into the standard Kanazawa oden "fukashi" (hamburger patty) and other local seasonal vegetables.

A pioneer of Kanazawa oden, the proprietress's smile is heartwarming!

The nostalgic atmosphere and at-home hospitality will make you feel at home. Mostly counter seating
The nostalgic atmosphere and at-home hospitality will make you feel at home. Mostly counter seating

Opened in 1934, this is one of Kanazawa's oldest oden restaurants. The walls are decorated with black-and-white photographs that tell the story of the restaurant's evolution, giving it a nostalgic atmosphere. The store is run by a mother and her two daughters, the second generation to run the store. They greet you with warm smiles, and the restaurant has a family-like atmosphere that makes it easy for a single woman to come in.
The Kansai-style dashi broth based on seafood is also a traditional taste that has been maintained since the restaurant's opening. Oden soaked in the broth goes great with hot sake.
Doteyaki, an a la carte dish, is also a point of pride. Steamed pork cutlets or pork loin is dipped in white miso paste and full of delicious flavor.

Oden Kikuichi
  • Address 2-1-23 Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 9 minutes from JR Kanazawa Station by car.
  • Bus Direction Take a circular bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo (in front of Atrio) and walk about 2 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 17:30-22:30 (L.O. 22:00, closes when all oden is gone)
  • Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
  • TEL 076-221-4676
  • Parking None
  • Memo Reservations not accepted

Oden specialty restaurant located in Kanazawa Station, the gateway to Kanazawa

Oden dishes include, clockwise from the front:
Oden dishes include, clockwise from the front: "Shumai" for 200 yen, "Daikon" for 280 yen, etc. Hakusan Hard Tofu" at the back is 450 yen.

This oden restaurant is located in a commercial Property inside Kanazawa Station. The dashi broth, which has been continuously added for more than 60 years since its establishment, is made in Kansai style using bonito and mackerel joints, dried sardines, and kombu. There are about 30 types of oden, ranging from traditional Kanazawa items such as "Akamaki" and "Umegai" to unique items such as "Shumai. Among them, we recommend "Kuruma-fu" (wheat gluten), which is richly soaked in our specialty broth, and "Sardine ball" which is moist and chewy.
Other local seasonal delicacies include wild vegetables in spring, crabmeat from late fall to the end of the year, and iidako (octopus) and satoimo (taro) in winter.

You can also taste local delicacies of Ishikawa Prefecture and its famous sake.

The counter seats up to 25 people. A special seat at the counter where you can enjoy your meal while looking at the array of oden.
The counter seats up to 25 people. A special seat at the counter where you can enjoy your meal while looking at the array of oden.

The interior of the restaurant is built around a U-shaped counter. The restaurant's interior is centered around a U-shaped counter, where you can watch the oden being stewed over the counter, which is sure to whet your appetite.
The restaurant also offers a wide variety of local dishes from Ishikawa Prefecture, including "jibuni," a bowl of soup with duck, Kaga fu, and other ingredients; "heshiko," pickled mackerel; and "Hakusan hard tofu," which is drained by placing a weight on top of it. In addition, there is an abundance of izakaya (Japanese-style bar) menu items such as the famous "Doteyaki" (after 4:00 p.m.) and fresh local seafood.
A wide variety of Ishikawa's local sake is also available, making it the perfect place to end your Kanazawa trip while waiting for the Shinkansen bullet train.

Seasonal Cuisine & Oden Kuroyuri
  • Address Anto", Kanazawa Hyakubangai, 1-1 Kinoshinbocho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  • Direction Direct connection from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Hours of Operation 11:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30, closes when all oden is gone)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 076-260-3722
  • Parking No reservations (discounts available for parking in Kanazawa Hyakubangai's affiliated parking lots).
  • Memo Reservations accepted on weekdays only (reservations must be made by the day before)

Oden using ingredients from Kanazawa's Omimachi Market

Oden is available from 100 yen and up. The plate in the front is
Oden is available from 100 yen and up. The plate in the front is "Bakudan" for 390 yen. The plate in the back is "Shrimp mask" for 600 yen.

Ippuku Yokocho is a food court in Kanazawa's Omimachi Market, the kitchen of Kanazawa citizens. Most of the ingredients are purchased from stores in the market, and you can taste products made with great care by specialty stores such as tofu and kamaboko (fish cake).
The most eye-catching item is "bakudan," a deep-fried boiled egg wrapped in fish paste. The size of a baseball, it is a very satisfying dish. Another popular original oden dish is "Ebi-men (shrimp mask)," a crab shell stuffed with sweet shrimp and covered with a lid made of ground sweet shrimp. The "Nodoguro-men" made with Nodoguro (sea bream) is also very popular.

Oden specialty restaurant in the food court where you can also find Hamayaki and local sake stores. On weekends and holidays, the restaurant is open for standing drinks.

A rare spot where you can enjoy drinking from 8:30 in the morning. In addition to oden, you can enjoy a variety of other Kanazawa delicacies such as hamayaki and sushi.
A rare spot where you can enjoy drinking from 8:30 in the morning. In addition to oden, you can enjoy a variety of other Kanazawa delicacies such as hamayaki and sushi.

There are three restaurants in Ippuku Yokocho, including this one. In addition to sashimi and sushi, a la carte dishes such as grilled oysters, fried white shrimp, and arajiru are also available.
Hokuriku Sake Brewery Rokkaku offers a selection of about 50 kinds of Hokuriku sake. The combination of sake and the tasty soup stock made from kombu (kelp) and bonito is exceptional.
Yokocho is especially crowded on weekends and holidays when all seats are for standing drinking.

Omimachi Market Kanazawa Oden Ippukuya
  • Address 50 Kami-Omi-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture (in Omimachi Market) MAP
  • Direction 16 min. walk from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station and get off at Musashigatsuji/Omi-machi Market (in front of Ichibakan). 2 min. walk from the bus stop.
  • Hours of Operation 8:30-18:30 (closes when all oden is gone)
  • Regular holiday Wednesdays (open on national holidays and the day before national holidays)
  • TEL 076-223-3789
  • Parking None
  • Memo All seats are standing on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays.

Home-made oden with a lot of originality is an attraction!

Oden is available from 100 yen. Soup-and-rice
Oden is available from 100 yen. Soup-and-rice" at the back right is "soup-and-rice" for 250 yen, and "new Wajima ama divers' hand-picked natural wakame seaweed" at the back left for 300 yen (tax not included).

Oden izakaya is run by the proprietress and her son. The restaurant offers a variety of oden with a handmade flavor, such as "Mochi Kinunchaku," which is fried inari stuffed with mugwort rice cakes made from brown rice (mochi rice), "Yose Ito Konnyaku," which is hardened string konnyaku in a square shape, and other oden unique to this restaurant. The daily specials include homemade ganmono with baby soramame, steamed chicken thigh with salt kouji, hand-picked wakame seaweed from Hegura Island in Noto, and other rare oden items. The soup stock made from fish knots (mackerel, sardines, and muro-aji), shiitake mushrooms, and kombu (kelp) has a gentle flavor.

Homemade dishes using fresh ingredients from Ishikawa and locally brewed sake are also recommended.

The counter seating creates a friendly atmosphere with the conversation of familiar customers.
The counter seating creates a friendly atmosphere with the conversation of familiar customers.

The restaurant is composed of a counter and a small room on the first floor and a hall on the second floor. The counter is lined with the proprietor's signature dishes, including handmade smoked firefly squid, octopus, figs, pickled gandu (small yellowtail), stir-fried sweet shrimp, and other dishes. Although the menu changes daily, about 10 dishes can be enjoyed, including dishes using fresh ingredients such as seafood landed at Kanazawa Port and fresh vegetables picked in the morning.
Many of the dishes are seasoned to go well with sake, so you can enjoy the marriage with famous Ishigawa sake such as "Tengumai," "Kikuhime," and "Tedorigawa.

Oden Yoshibo
  • Address 2-4-21 Korinbo, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 7 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  • Bus Direction Take a circular bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo (in front of Atrio), and walk about 3 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 17:30-22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
  • Regular holiday Sundays, national holidays (irregular holidays)
  • TEL 076-221-8048
  • Parking None
  • Memo Reservations for counter seating require alcohol, accepted only for visits between 17:30 and 18:00. Credit cards not accepted.
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.