Livejapan iconLivejapanOct 1, 2026 ~1 min source read

Japan's 2026 'Trend Nabe' Is Pure Indulgence: Meet the "Guilty-Pleasure" Hot Pots

Restaurant search and reservation platform Gurunavi has named Haitoku Nabe (背徳鍋™) its 2026 "Trend Nabe," spotlighting hot pots piled high with meat, pork back fat, garlic, cheese and other unapologetically rich ingredients. When temperatures start to drop in Japan, nabe hot pots start appearing on dinner tables.

Japan's 2026 'Trend Nabe' Is Pure Indulgence: Meet the "Guilty-Pleasure" Hot Pots

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When temperatures start to drop in Japan, nabe hot pots start appearing on dinner tables.

Restaurant search and reservation platform Gurunavi has named Haitoku Nabe (背徳鍋™) its 2026 "Trend Nabe," spotlighting hot pots piled high with meat, pork back fat, garlic, cheese and other unapologetically...

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The useful part

When temperatures start to drop in Japan, nabe hot pots start appearing on dinner tables. Meat, vegetables, tofu, seafood and other ingredients simmer together in a steaming pot, usually placed right in the middle of the table for everyone to share. Restaurant search and reservation platform Gurunavi has named Haitoku Nabe (背徳鍋™) its 2026 "Trend Nabe," spotlighting hot pots piled high with meat, pork back fat, garlic, cheese and other unapologetically rich ingredients.

How it works

  • In the world of Japanese food, however, it's increasingly used with a wink to describe something so rich, excessive or delicious that eating it feels a little bit "wrong." Think of guilty pleasure as the...
  • Gurunavi has announced an annual Trend Nabe since 2009, with 2026 marking its 18th selection.
  • "Haitoku" literally suggests doing something morally questionable or indulgent.

Details worth keeping

For winter 2026, Japan's nabe is getting considerably less restrained.

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