"Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is completely different from what you get in Osaka — it's layered, not mixed, and the noodles inside make it a proper meal. I ate it three times in two days. No regrets."
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki vs Osaka Style
Okonomiyaki — literally "grill what you like" — is a savoury Japanese pancake that exists in two main forms. In Osaka, the ingredients are mixed into the batter before cooking. In Hiroshima, they are layered: batter, then cabbage, then meat, then noodles, then egg — each added separately to the iron griddle.
The Hiroshima version is substantially bigger and more filling than its Osaka counterpart. The inclusion of yakisoba or udon noodles inside the pancake makes it a complete meal. Most visitors to Hiroshima prefer the local style once they try it.
Both are finished with okonomiyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire), Japanese mayonnaise, dried seaweed flakes and bonito flakes that dance in the heat.
Okonomimura — the Okonomiyaki Village
Okonomimura is a three-floor building in central Hiroshima containing around 25 tiny okonomiyaki restaurants, each with a counter of six to eight seats and a chef cooking on an iron griddle in front of you. It opened in 1945 to feed a city rebuilding after the bomb — and has been here ever since.
Finding the "best" stall in Okonomimura is subjective — locals have fierce loyalties and almost every stall is excellent. The standard advice is to pick a stall where the chef looks confident, sit down and order the house special. You cannot go wrong.
The building is a little chaotic and the stairs are steep, but it's one of the most genuine food experiences in Japan. Go hungry.
Other Great Okonomiyaki Spots
Beyond Okonomimura, Hassei near Hiroshima Station is consistently rated among the best in the city — longer queues but worth the wait. Micchan, which claims to have invented Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, has multiple locations and is a reliable choice for a first visit.
For a quieter experience away from tourists, the covered shopping arcades near Hondori have several excellent small okonomiyaki shops where you'll be the only non-local at the counter.
How to Order
Point at what you want or say "okonomiyaki hitotsu" (one okonomiyaki). Most menus have pictures. The main choice is the protein: pork (buta), squid (ika), prawn (ebi) or mixed (mikkusu). Pork is the classic.
Sit at the counter — this is essential. The experience of watching your okonomiyaki cooked in front of you over 15 minutes, layer by layer, is half the point.
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