Events to enjoy oden, a Japanese traditional hot pot dish, on trains are gaining popularity across the country. Eating various hot ingredients boiled in soup and drinking alcoholic beverage while looking at the scenery through the window are becoming a novel winter pleasure.
Oigawa Railway Co. based in Shimada, Shizuoka Prefecture, which operates steam locomotives in the prefecture, launched the event "Travel on SL Oden train" in 2016.
Train cars are heated by steam generated from the engine of SL trains, and yutanpo hot water bottles are installed inside a kotatsu-style chair covered by a quilt for passengers to keep warm.
The food served on the train is "Shizuoka Oden," the principal ingredients of which are local specialties such as motsu giblets and kuro hanpen black fish cake made from ground sardines and other ingredients.
The event costs 6,500, yen including round-trip train tickets, a plate of oden, a bento lunch box and a can of beer.
Passengers can enjoy a superb view of the Oigawa river and stop over to make a short visit to onsen hot springs.
"Our passengers come from inside and outside the prefecture. Thus, we contribute to tourism promotion in the area along our company's train line," an official from the railroad company said.
The event runs on Saturdays and Sundays through March 3.
According to a 2018 survey by Kibun Foods Inc., which produces oden ingredients, 67 percent of homemakers in their 20s to 50s said their favorite hot pot dish was oden -- the highest percentage.
By region, oden is especially popular in western Japan such as in Osaka and Hiroshima prefectures. In these prefectures, the survey shows that oden is the most popular hot pot dish for people to eat. Meanwhile, in Aichi Prefecture, oden ranks second.
Getting aboard the oden train
Railroad companies in these areas have been paying attention to oden at an earlier stage.
Toyohashi Rail Road Co. based in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, operates "Odensha," a term made using the words oden and densha (train), on its 5.4-kilometer city line within the city, since 2007, in which passengers can enjoy oden while drinking a mug of beer.
Toyohashi Rail Road has been serving beer to passengers on some of its trains in summer since 1993. As the service became popular, the company launched the Odensha trains as a new winter project. Odendane -- meaning the ingredients of oden -- which is available on Odensha, includes local specialties such as quail eggs. Odensha will run until Feb. 24 this year, with only a few seats left, the company said.
Similar events have been held by Keihan Electric Railway Co. based in Osaka. Since 2010, the company has been operating the "Oden de Densha" trains on the Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line in Otsu. It runs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 23 this winter.
Meanwhile, Hojo Railway Co. based in Kasai, Hyogo Prefecture, operates unique oden trains in which singers perform, and Hiroshima Electric Railway Co. based in Hiroshima offers a wide variety of sake on its oden train.
Oden trains operated by Nose Electric Railway Co. based in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture, and Nagasaki Electric Tramway Co. based in Nagasaki are already fully booked this season.
Other famous winter train events in the country include the "Stove Train" by Tsugaru Railway Co. based in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, and the "Kotatsu Train" by Sanriku Railway Co. based in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture.
Officials from railroad companies said oden train projects are an opportunity to promote the characteristics of a region by using local specialties, and are suited for railway business operators in rural areas.
"Railroad companies operating in the Tokyo metropolitan area are trying to ease the congestion of commuters and students, while those in rural areas are facing a decline in the number of passengers and are making serious efforts to increase passenger numbers through measures such as oden trains and other rail events. These efforts will continue to spread throughout the country," rail critic Ryozo Kawashima said.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
