Odawara Kamaboko: Kanagawa's Fish Cake Craft

Odawara, at the western edge of Kanagawa where the old Tokaido road met the coast, has produced kamaboko (steamed fish cake) since at least the Edo period, when demand from Tokaido travelers for a portable, protein-rich food helped the craft take hold. Traditional kamaboko is made from white-fleshed fish like croaker or lizardfish, pounded into a smooth paste, seasoned lightly, then hand-shaped onto small wooden boards and steamed — a technique still used by traditional makers today.

Good kamaboko is judged mainly on texture — a springy, slightly bouncy bite called ashi that separates careful, fresh craftsmanship from mass-produced versions — rather than on strong seasoning, since the fish flavor itself is meant to stay clean and mild. It's traditionally part of New Year's osechi trays, sliced into red-and-white rounds that carry a celebratory meaning, but it's also eaten as an everyday snack throughout the year, plain or lightly dipped in soy sauce.