Popular among people waiting for the Seikan ferry

What do you put on oden when you eat it? Is Japanese mustard the standard? Or, some people may choose to add sweet miso to the dengaku style. However, in Aomori City, ''ginger miso'' is the standard accompaniment to oden. Aomori oden is made with sweet miso mixed with mirin and sake, and generously coated with grated ginger.It has a flavor you never get tired of, and you can't help but eat it with your chopsticks. This time, we will introduce the taste that Aomori residents are familiar with, tracing its roots.

“Ginger Miso Oden” was born shortly after the war. At that time, there was a black market around Aomori Station, with many food stalls. One of them is said to be the origin of this menu. There used to be a boarding point for the Seikan Ferry right next to Aomori Station, and especially in the winter, people would gather there waiting for the ship, braving the cold. In order to warm the bodies of those waiting, a certain store owner added ginger to oden miso and served it, and the deliciousness quickly became popular, and the dish soon spread to other stores. The Seikan Ferry ended its role in 1988, but at that time it was the only route from Honshu to Hakodate, and was used by many people both inside and outside the prefecture. Therefore, the power of word of mouth is quite high.