Kobe Dining

Japan can get pretty chilly during the winter months. Fortunately, the country excels when it comes to hearty winter meals. As are regional variations, seasonal ingredients and dishes are very important in Japanese cuisine. Many of the country’s staple dishes have several different regional twists. Here is a selection of what you can look forward to in the Kansai region. Yudofu Tofu is eaten all year round in Japan, but it’s especially prevalent following the end of the soybean harvest in autumn. Yudofu is a regional tofu dish (the translation is ‘hot tofu’) that is very popular in Kansai throughout the winter. It consists of tofu pieces boiled in a dashi broth to which soy or ponzu sauce is added. Popular accompaniments include vegetables or grated wasabi. This dish became popularized by Buddhist monks in Kyoto many years ago due to tofu being one of the best protein sources for vegetarians and its ability to keep people warm in colder periods. Oden This is a Japanese stew or hotpot enjoyed all over the country. It’s typically made with a soy broth and cooked with various additional ingredients, including eggs, fishcakes, tofu, vegetables, daikon radish, or potatoes. It’s often served with…