Oden is known as a fairly humble cuisine, but it reaches new heights of sophistication at Konbuya, where it's paired with well-chosen craft sake and shochu in an elegant dining room. In addition to oden you'll find a good selection of seasonal small dishes - mostly simple fare like duck a l'orange, ginkgo nuts and horsemeat sashimi that rely on high-quality ingredients rather than fancy recipes.

As for the main attraction - the oden menu features some three dozen individual items, ranging from your typical fish balls and daikon chunks to more unusual choices like gyoza dumplings, kakuni stewed pork (wrapped in fried tofu), and grilled tarako (cod roe).

You may be tempted by the twelve-item moriawase menu (Y3600), but it's really worth the extra effort to peruse the menu and order a la carte - the more unusual items here are what set Konbuya apart from other oden shops. For example the ume tsukune is a very tasty chicken-meat patty such as you'd find at a yakitoriya, livened up with a refreshing infusion of sour minced plum.

The anago no yuba-maki (grilled eel wrapped in tofu skin) is another standout, while the savory simmered apple slices make a nice finishing touch. The simpler items do provide a nice contrast - the daikon chunks are soft and succulent, delivering the konbu-rich flavor of the broth, while the hanpen is light but not bland, and pleasantly fluffy.

Note that the prices on the menu do not include tax or 10% service charge; budget around Y4000-6000 for ample food and drink.