Oden おでん

As soon as the temperatures drops in the spring or fall, all travelers to Japan should indulge in the best dish the cold weather has to offer: oden. Also called the Japanese hotpot, or Kanto stew, after the region from which it originated. As soon as the cold weather hits, you will find it in all the restaurants and konbini

It's a delicious assortment of ingredients simmered in a savoury broth, somewhat similar to nabe. You can add whatever you want but you will always find hanpen (a kind of fish cake), sausages, boiled eggs, mochi (rice cakes), melt-in-the-mouth daikon turnip, fried tofu, and anything else you can imagine. 

A little tip though, don't forget to serve the dish with side of Japanese mustard and/or miso sauce.

It's an invigorating dish, comforting and perfect for sharing with friends and family. There's nothing better than going out with friends to share oden in a restaurant, where everyone can pick out their favorite ingredient from a communal bubbling pot...