Miso sauce oden is the soul food of Yukuhashi City, Fukuoka Prefecture. It is so deeply rooted in the area that when you order oden at a convenience store, it comes with a miso sauce.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of miso sauce oden.

Characteristics of miso sauce oden

Miso sauce oden is not just drenched in miso sauce. The way it is made is also unique. Unlike regular oden, it is cooked in unseasoned pork bone soup, as it is eaten with miso sauce.

The miso sauce is made by adding tonkotsu soup, ginger, sugar, etc. to red miso to create a mellow flavor. The sweet and spicy miso sauce with the aroma of ginger goes perfectly with oden. Because it is a thick miso sauce, it can be used as a side dish for rice or as a snack.

The ingredients in miso oden are similar to the usual ingredients, such as daikon radish, deep-fried tofu, and konnyaku. All of them can be eaten for around 100 yen.

The most popular ingredient is the unfamiliar "gyozaten." Gyozaten is shaped like a cylindrical ball and is hard to tell from the outside. The thick, chewy skin is filled with plenty of ingredients. If you order miso oden, gyozaten is a must.

The History of Miso Oden

Miso sauce oden was invented by Niinomi, the founder of Lampya.

After the war, Shinya returned from Manchuria, where he had been doing business, but his hometown had been reduced to a burnt wasteland. Shinya was originally from Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture. With nowhere to go, he turned to a couple from Yukuhashi City whom he had met on a repatriation ship, and opened a ramen shop there around 1948.

Mr. Shinya's hometown, Anjo City, is next to Okazaki City, where Hatcho miso was born. When he served his hometown's Hatcho miso on oden at a ramen shop, the sweet and spicy miso sauce became popular as it went well with oden. The roots of this dish may lie in Aichi Prefecture's miso oden.

Later, when an employee of Lampuya opened his own ramen shop, he added miso oden to the menu, and it became established in Yukuhashi City and became a local specialty. The number of ramen shops offering miso oden also increased. Each shop has its own recipe, and some add fruit as a secret ingredient.

After Lampya closed, Kota Kudo, who runs Popeye Shokudo, tried to make miso oden a brand. Popeye Shokudo is a Western-style restaurant located inside the Yukuhashi Police Station that specializes in additive-free food, but of course you can also eat miso oden there. It's a restaurant that's open to the public.

Santoku Ramen also continues the style of serving ramen and miso oden. When ordering ramen and miso oden together, many people pour the remaining miso sauce over the ramen. Some people even ask from the beginning to put miso sauce on their ramen, as it goes well with the ramen.

Nowadays, miso oden is served not only at ramen shops, but also at a variety of udon restaurants, cafeterias, and other establishments.

Recommended sightseeing spots in Yukuhashi City

Yukuhashi City has long been influenced by advanced continental culture, and has had active exchanges with the Kinai region through the Seto Inland Sea. Known as the "Kyoto Plain," it developed as an open area from early on, and many historical sites remain. During the Edo period, large merchants appeared here, and the area developed into a commercial center second only to the castle town of Kokura within the domain.

The charm of Yukuhashi City is its rich nature. With the sea, mountains, and rivers, you can enjoy a variety of scenery. There are also many places where you can feel the history, so many people visit the city for sightseeing. Let's check out the popular sightseeing spots in Yukuhashi City.

Imaitsususa Shrine

Imaitsu Susa Shrine is a representative Gion shrine in northern Kyushu, affectionately known as "Imai no Gion-sama." It is enshrined alongside Oso Omiya Shrine, the local guardian deity, and is said to grant blessings such as recovery from epidemics, good health, and protection from misfortune.

Shohachiman Shrine

Sho-Hachimangu Shrine has been revered as a god that brings good luck, safety in the home, and safe travels, and has been loved by locals for hosting various festivals and events, such as the Spring Equinox Festival, the Iris Festival, the Autumn Equinox Festival, and the New Year's Eve Festival.

Senbutsu Cave

Senbutsu Cave is a historic limestone cave that was designated a national natural monument in 1935. The large limestone cave was formed over a long period of time by rainwater from the karst plateau. You can experience the feeling of an adventure as you walk through the water from about 500m to about 900m where lighting is installed.

Umagadake

The name Umagatake comes from the fact that the shape of the mountain, which consists of two peaks, resembles a "divine horse." This mountain castle was the base for Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Kuroda Kanbei. Umagatake, which has such a long history, has an elevation of 216m and takes about two hours round trip. The hiking trail is well maintained, so it is easy and safe for beginners to try. The view from the summit is spectacular and popular.

Yukuhashi Red Brick Museum

The Yukuhashi Red Brick Building is designated as a tangible cultural property of Fukuoka Prefecture as the "former Hyakusanju Bank Yukuhashi Branch." It was built in 1914 under the supervision of the famous Tatsuno Kingo, who is known for designing Tokyo Station and the Bank of Japan Head Office. There is also a "Red Brick Cafe" inside the building where you can enjoy drinks and baked goods.

How to get to Yukuhashi City

First, let's look at how to get to Fukuoka Prefecture. Fukuoka Prefecture is easily accessible by air and land. If you're heading from Tokyo, Nagoya, or Osaka, flying to Fukuoka Airport or Kitakyushu Airport is the most convenient option.

If you take the subway from Fukuoka Airport, you will arrive at Hakata Station in about 5 minutes. From Kitakyushu Airport to Kokura Station, it will take about 35 minutes by bus. If you are traveling within the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, or Kyushu, we recommend using the Shinkansen. It will take about 1 hour from Hiroshima, and about 1 hour and 50 minutes from Kagoshima.

It takes about an hour to get from Hakata Station to Yukuhashi Station by express train.

Location of Yukuhashi City, Fukuoka Prefecture

summary

"Miso sauce oden" is a soul food of Yukuhashi City, eaten with sweet miso with a hint of ginger. It is recommended to eat miso sauce oden with ramen. You can enjoy the unique taste of Yukuhashi City, with tonkotsu soup and miso sauce.

If you visit Yukuhashi City in Fukuoka Prefecture, be sure to try the miso oden.

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