Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Bargain Stone stands in the churchyard.
Bargain Stone
The Ernst Thälmann Monument
Ernst Thälmann Monument
One of the BHS murals tells the origin story of Stockport.
The BHS Murals in Stockport
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Oginoya’s Kettle Rice Pottery
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Oginoya’s Kettle Rice Pottery

This iconic “station bento” comes in an earthenware pot you can take home and repurpose.

Annaka, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Touge no kamameshi.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The iconic pottery.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The original Oginoya, est. 1885.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
There’s even a photo stand-in at Oginoya Yokokawa.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A unique “station bento” from Yokokawa, Gunma.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Oginoya stands in front of Yokokawa Station.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Oginoya, now a major company known across Japan, was originally an inn adjacent to the Kirizumi hot springs, visited by such historical figures as Hirofumi Itō, Katsu Kaishū, and Akiko Yosano. Also among those luminaries was Katsura Tarō, who would later become Japan’s prime minister.

During his visit to the Oginoya inn, Katsura mentioned the government’s plans to construct a railroad in the area. Hearing this, the innkeeper decided to shift his business, moving to the town of Yokokawa and establishing a kiosk just as the station opened in 1885.

Though the new business was a success, the remote mountainous town did not receive many visitors to begin with, save for those traveling between Takasaki and Karuizawa. To provide warm meals to those passengers on the last leg of their journeys, Oginoya created tōge-no-kamameshi (“kettle rice of the mountain pass”) in 1957, now one of the most iconic station bentos of all time.

Kamameshi is a traditional Japanese rice dish cooked in an iron pot with a variety of ingredients. Oginoya’s “kettle rice” consists of chicken, quail egg, shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot, burdock root, green peas, chestnut, pickled ginger and apricot, laid out on the soy sauce-based takikomi gohan. It comes in a Mashiko ware clay pot instead of the typical iron kettle, giving a more rustic feel to it—and not only that, it’s a souvenir you can take home.

Oginoya’s kettle rice is not only a must-try for tourists, but also a long-standing local favorite. As such, the people of Annaka often find themselves in common trouble: too many pots at home!

But not to worry; the pottery has plenty of reuse potential for whatever purpose you can think of. While it’s commonly used as a planter or weight, old or unneeded pots are donated back to Oginoya to be repurposed in several ways, most notably recycled for local paving. If you enjoy camping or a bit of old-world cooking, you can also cook rice or even bake bread in it.

Related Tags

Restaurants Food Train Stations

Know Before You Go

Yokokawa Station can be accessed from Takasaki; there’s a 30-minute train ride every 30 minutes.

There are three locations within a few minutes’ range: a kiosk on the station platform, the original 1885 eatery in front of the station (with a small free-to-enter museum across the street), and a drive-in style cafeteria with a gift shop. While the drive-in is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the original location and the museum are closed on Tuesdays and only open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 pm.

If it’s too much of a journey, you can find locations in Tokyo as well. But, of course, you should visit Yokokawa if you’d like to delve deeper into the rabbit hole of Oginoya’s history and its kettle rice.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

October 4, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Oginoya’s Kettle Rice Pottery
Matsuidamachi Yokokawa
Annaka, 379-0301
Japan
36.340546, 138.736713
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum

Karuizawa, Japan

miles away

Uchimura Kanzo Memorial Stone Church

Karuizawa, Japan

miles away

Tomioka Silk Mill

Tomioka, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Japan

Japan

Asia

Places 786
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Karuizawa Picture Book Forest Museum

Karuizawa, Japan

miles away

Uchimura Kanzo Memorial Stone Church

Karuizawa, Japan

miles away

Tomioka Silk Mill

Tomioka, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Japan

Japan

Asia

Places 786
Stories 110

Related Places

  • Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Aksorn

    Time-travel through Thai cuisine drawn from vintage cookbooks and little-known ingredients.

  • Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Charmgang

    This neon-lit back-alley spot deals in good vibes and curries that pack a punch.

  • The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Gedhawa

    For more than 30 years, this stalwart has been one of the few restaurants in Bangkok specializing in northern Thai cuisine.

  • At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Nai Mong Hoi Thod

    This Chinatown hole-in-the-wall serves what might be the ultimate oyster omelet.

  • The local catch is delicious fried as well.

    Charlevoix, Michigan

    Terry's of Charlevoix

    Line up for ample portions of freshly caught whitefish, walleye, and perch from the Great Lakes.

  • The Cathedral Café has been serving its community for more than 120 years.

    Fayetteville, West Virginia

    Cathedral Café

    Soak in the sacred vibes at this beloved food and coffee hangout inside a former church.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.

    Onekama, Michigan

    The Glenwood

    Savor Great Lakes produce, fish, and spirits at this local favorite in a century-old warehouse.

  • The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.

    London, England

    The Guinea

    Some of the best renditions of traditional British dishes can be found on the site of a 15th-century inn.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.