7 Best Hiroshima Okonomiyaki Restaurants in Hiroshima City and Tokyo, Plus Recipes and Cooking Experiences

Get to know Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki consists of a thin crepe-like pancake batter, which is topped with layers of thinly sliced cabbage, noodles (usually yakisoba or soba noodles,) pork slices, and sometimes other ingredients like seafood or vegetables. Each layer is carefully cooked on a flat iron grill, allowing the flavors to meld together while maintaining their textures.

The history behind Hiroshima okonomiyaki

The precursor to Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, known as Issen Yoshoku, or "one-penny Western food," emerged before World War II as a simple snack enjoyed by children. In the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, the city faced immense challenges in rebuilding and recovering.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki was born using American flour and cabbage cooked on iron plates, quickly gaining popularity among street vendors that incorporated the dish into their menus.

Over time, its sauce evolved, and with the steps of post-war recovery, ingredients like eggs, pork, and noodles were added, transforming it into the modern Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, now symbolizing the city's post-war resurgence.

Simple Hiroshima okonomiyaki recipe to make at home

If you're craving a hearty plate of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, here's a simple recipe that you can make at home with ingredients that are likely available in your supermarket or Asian grocery store.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dashi stock (you can use instant dashi granules mixed with water)
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup cooked yakisoba noodles
• 4 slices thinly sliced pork belly or bacon
• 1 large egg
• Okonomiyaki sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• Mayonnaise

Garnish:

• Dried seaweed flakes
• Bonito flakes

To prepare Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, start by mixing flour and dashi stock in a bowl to create a smooth batter. Heat a non-stick skillet and lightly oil it, then pour the batter onto the skillet and spread it into a thin circle. Add the shredded cabbage onto the thin crepe, top it with pork belly or bacon, and flip it around to let it cook for 5-6 minutes. In the meantime, boil and fry the yakisoba noodles, combine them with the cabbage layer, and place everything on a cracked egg.

Carefully fold the edges of the okonomiyaki towards the center to form a circular shape. Cook for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy, and flip it one more time. Drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise, then sprinkle with garnish. Feel free to customize your okonomiyaki with additional toppings like pickled ginger, sliced green onions, or seafood.

Hiroshima-style vs Osaka-style okonomiyaki

Osaka-style okonomiyaki is a thick pancake cooked on a hot grill, where ingredients such as cabbage, meat or seafood, and other fillings are mixed into the batter.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, on the other hand, involves layering ingredients on the grill, starting with a thin crepe-like batter followed by cabbage, meat or seafood, noodles, and a fried egg—each cooked separately before being assembled into a final dish.

Despite these differences, both styles are topped with a thick okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and sometimes seaweed flakes.

5 restaurants to enjoy authentic Hiroshima-yaki in Hiroshima City

When exploring Hiroshima, you're bound to come across an okonomiyaki restaurant on almost every corner. To find the best ones among the 2,000 eateries in the city, we've done the work for you and compiled a list of the top five okonomiyaki restaurants in Hiroshima.

Okonomi-mura: Compare Hiroshima okonomiyaki from more than 20 restaurants

Okonomi-mura, or "Okonomi Village" in English, is a building complex home to 20 long-established Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki stalls, which once gathered in the central square of Hiroshima after World War II.

Later, these stalls reconvened into a single building complex, retaining the lively atmosphere of the post-war food stalls. Each restaurant here has its specialty and cooking style, making it the perfect place to compare and eat to your heart's content.

Okonomi-mura
Address: Nishi-tenchi Plaza 2-4F, 5-13 Shin-Tenchi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture
Access: 3-min walk from the Hatchobori tram station
Official website: http://www.okonomimura.jp/foreign/english.html

Okonomi Hassei: Enjoy vegetarian and gluten-free options

Although meat and seafood are typically staple ingredients in okonomiyaki, Okonomi Hassei provides a vegetarian and gluten-free menu that rivals the original taste. Place your order and watch your pancake being expertly prepared right before your eyes.

Okonomi Hassei
Address: 4-17 Fujimi-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture
Access: 6-min walk from Chuden-mae Station
Official website: https://tabelog.com/hiroshima/A3401/A340117/34001574/

Mitchan Sohonten Hatchobori: Order the seafood-rich Mitchan Special

Established in 1950, this iconic okonomiyaki joint has branches across Hiroshima as well as in Tokyo. Opt for the Mitchan Special, which comes with a delectable mix of seafood like fresh squid, shrimp, and oysters paired with mochi rice cake, and topped with Mitchan's special sauce that has been perfected for over 50 years.

Mitchan Sohonten Hatchobori
Address: 1F, 6-7 Hatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture
Access: 4-min walk from Hatchobori tram station
Official website: https://www.okonomi.co.jp/hatchobori.html (in Japanese only)

Nagataya: Enjoy crispy okonomiyaki in a retro ambiance

Nagataya serves up Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with a crispy outer layer and a delightfully chewy inside. The store uses fresh top-quality noodles, tossing them with Nagataya's tonkotsu pork bone broth for an extra burst of flavor.

Nagataya’s special sauce is custom-made by famous okonomiyaki sauce manufacturer Otafuku Sauce and uses tangy tomatoes for a delicious twist.

Inside the restaurant, the decor, furnishings, and posters create a nostalgic ambiance that transports you back to the Showa era (1926-1989.)

Nagataya
Address: Omoishi Building 1F, 1-7-19 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture
Access: Short walk from Genbaku Dome-mae Station (Hiroshima Electric Railway)
Official website: http://nagataya-okonomi.com/en/

Rei-chan: Try traditional okonomiyaki at a local’s favorite

Rei-chan originally started as a street food stall back in 1957 and still adheres to the traditional methods of making Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki—folding it in half and seasoning it twice. The noodles are carefully selected for their chewiness, and the batter is fermented for four hours to enhance its elasticity.

Rei-chan is a local favorite, so be prepared for a wait as it's usually bustling with customers.

Rei-chan
Address: Hiroshima Station Ekie 1F, 1-2 Matsubara-cho, Minami-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture
Access: Connected to JR Hiroshima Station
Official website: https://www.o-reichan.jp/ (in Japanese only)

Get around Hiroshima at a great discount by using these cheap transport passes

Aside from the aforementioned restaurants, Hiroshima City is home to numerous historical landmarks and several notable attractions, including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and the Atomic Bomb Dome, which stands as a haunting yet powerful symbol of the devastation caused by the atomic bombing in 1945.

Besides these places, Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden are also must-visit spots to experience the city's rich heritage.

Located just a short ferry ride from Hiroshima City, Miyajima Island is another popular destination to explore, home to the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, a Unesco World Heritage Site, renowned for its "floating" torii shrine gate.

Opt for the Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass and enjoy unlimited rides on city buses, trams, and the ferry to Miyajima for one to three days.

If you're staying in Hiroshima for longer, get the Hiroshima One Week Free Pass to enjoy activities around Hiroshima at a discount with great deals and coupons for shops and restaurants.

2 Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurants in Tokyo

If you're planning to only stay within Tokyo or the Kanto Region during your trip to Japan, get a taste of authentic Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at these two Tokyo restaurants below.

Koshinji: Dig into Hiroshima-yaki in a stylish ambiance

Located in Tokyo’s Yoyogi-Uehara neighborhood, this cozy shop serves up hearty Hiroshima-yaki dishes in a stylish setting. Besides the original savory pancake, you can also opt for alternative toppings like tororo grated yam and kimchi.

Round off your meal by indulging in an array of alcoholic drinks like Japanese sake (rice wine) and wine.

Koshinji
Address: 1-34-10 Uehara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Access: Steps away from Yoyogi-Uehara Station (Chiyoda Line)
Official website: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1318/A131811/13190642/ (in Japanese only)

Denko Sekka Tokyo Station Branch: Opt for unique dome-shaped okonomiyaki

Besides having multiple stores in Hiroshima, this chain has branches all over Japan, including one in Tokyo Station. One of its standout offerings is the dome-shaped okonomiyaki, which can be sliced open like an omelet to reveal its fluffy and light filling.

The Tokyo Station branch is located on the basement floor of Tokyo Station's Yaesu shopping area, making it the perfect pit stop to fuel up before your next journey.

Denko Sekka Tokyo Station Branch
Address: Tokyo Station Ichibangai B1F, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Access: Short walk from JR Tokyo Station’s central Yaesu Exit
Official website: https://okonomiyaki-denko-sekka.com/ (in Japanese only)

Make your own Hiroshima okonomiyaki in Hiroshima

After watching skilled chefs prepare your pancake right in front of you, why not try your hand at making your own? At Okonomiyaki Cooking Class Okosta, you can create your dish with expert guidance in English. The venue also offers halal and vegetarian options, guaranteeing a memorable experience for all guests.

If you've got a big appetite, opt for the experience plan that includes a hearty portion of locally sourced beef steak and oysters.

Discover the best of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

If you're traveling to Hiroshima, be sure to stop by one of the restaurants above, and dig into a tasty Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki pancake. Don't forget to join a workshop and create your spin on this dish for an unforgettable trip.

Explore more of Japan by using one of the many different transportation passes.

*The information in this article, such as prices and business hours, was accurate at the time of publication but is subject to change. Please refer to the official website(s) for the latest information.

Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass (1/2/3 days)

・Unlimited rides on all Hiroshima Electric Railway lines, buses, and the "Meipuru-pu" loop bus.
・Exclusively available for non-Japanese passport holders; includes various discount coupons.

Hiroshima One Week Free Pass

・Enjoy discounts in shops and restaurants around Hiroshima
・Redeem coupons at three locations of your choice

"Hiroshima Okonomiyaki" Experience

・Learn to make Hiroshima okonomiyaki under the guidance of a professional instructor.
・Vegetarian and halal options are also available.

"Hiroshima Okonomiyaki" Experience (with Hiroshima beef steak)

・Learn to make Hiroshima okonomiyaki under the guidance of a professional instructor.
・Pair your meal with delectable Hiroshima beef steak.