Hiroshima okonomiyaki
A thin batter layered with cabbage, sprouts, pork, noodles and egg. It takes fifteen to twenty minutes to cook.
Regional food guide
What to eat in Hiroshima
Written by hand, not generated. Dishes, markets, timing and prices for Hiroshima.
Facing the Seto Inland Sea, Hiroshima farms oysters heavily, and its okonomiyaki follows a method of its own. Where Osaka mixes the batter, Hiroshima layers the ingredients and puts fried noodles in the middle.
What people eat here
Start with the local defaults
Oysters
Grilled, fried or steamed. Inland Sea farming keeps supply high, and winter prices low.
Miyajima
Anagomeshi
Grilled conger eel over rice — lighter than freshwater eel.
Tsukemen
Cold noodles dipped in a chilli sauce, with the heat level chosen at ordering.
Lemon products
The Inland Sea islands grow lemons, so lemon seasonings and sweets are everywhere.
Where the food is
Markets, streets and harbours
Okonomimura
A building stacked floor by floor with okonomiyaki stalls.
Restaurants nearby
Nagarekawa
The evening drinking quarter.
Restaurants nearby
Onomichi
A hillside port town east of Hiroshima and the home of Onomichi ramen, which began as street-stall noodles around 1928. Its soy broth is deepened with Seto Inland Sea fish stock and topped with pork back fat; ramen shops and cafes run along the arcade and waterfront.
Restaurants nearby
Kure
A former naval base city whose local dishes are navy curry, from warship recipes, and Kure reimen cold noodles. Restaurants serving them are scattered around town, with the brick-paved Rengadori arcade as the centre.
Restaurants nearbyWhen to go
- Oysters are in season from November to February, and some places hold oyster festivals then.
- Miyajima looks different depending on the tide. Check the tide table and the last ferry together.
- Okonomiyaki takes a long time to cook, so lunch peak means a real wait.
Worth knowing
- 1Sitting at the griddle counter lets you cut and eat straight off the plate with the spatula.
- 2Oysters are labelled for raw or cooked use. Check which you are buying.
- 3The deer on Miyajima will go for your food. Do not walk around holding it.
- 4If you miss the last ferry back from the island there is no easy alternative.
What it costs · Per person, roughly
Okonomiyaki runs JPY 1,000-1,500, anagomeshi JPY 2,000-3,000, and a plate of grilled oysters JPY 800-1,200.
Hiroshima
Restaurants near Hiroshima landmarks
See all
Latest Hiroshima restaurant posts
Real visits shared by TastyLog foodies
