Food · Hiroshima · Japan
What to eat in Hiroshima
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Hiroshima, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, Oysters and Conger-eel rice. Watch a cook build a layered okonomiyaki at one of Okonomimura's stalls and eat it straight off the hot plate with a small metal spatula. At okonomiyaki counters you can usually add extras such as squid, cheese, green onion or oysters, and choose soba or udon noodles.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 3
- Tipping
- Tipping is not practised in Japan; good service is part of the price.
- Food experiences
- 3
9 foods to try
Dish
1.Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
Unlike Osaka's mixed batter, Hiroshima's version is built in layers on the griddle: a thin crêpe, a mound of cabbage, bean sprouts and pork, then yakisoba or udon noodles and a fried egg, finished with sweet-savoury sauce.
Where: Okonomimura near Hondori, the okonomiyaki floor in Hiroshima Station's building and neighbourhood griddle counters.
Dish
2.Oysters (Kaki)
Hiroshima Bay produces more oysters than anywhere else in Japan. They are eaten grilled in the shell, deep-fried (kaki-furai), in hotpot and on okonomiyaki, at their best from about November to March.
Where: Oyster restaurants downtown, oyster huts in winter and grill stalls on Miyajima's Omotesando.
Dish
3.Conger-eel rice (Anago-meshi)
Grilled conger eel with a sweet soy glaze laid over rice cooked in eel broth, a speciality of Miyajima and the coast facing it.
Where: Restaurants and bento shops around Miyajimaguchi station and on Miyajima.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Momiji manjū
Maple-leaf-shaped sponge cakes filled with red-bean paste, custard or chocolate, invented on Miyajima. The fried version, age-momiji, is served hot on a stick.
Where: Shops along Miyajima's Omotesando and souvenir stores at Hiroshima Station.
Dish
5.Soupless dandan noodles (Shiru-nashi tantanmen)
A Hiroshima favourite: noodles tossed in sesame, chilli oil and numbing Sichuan pepper with minced pork, mixed thoroughly before eating.
Where: Specialist noodle shops around Hondori and Hatchobori.
Dish
6.Hiroshima tsukemen
Cold noodles served with a very spicy, red chilli dipping sauce and cabbage; you usually choose the heat level.
Where: Noodle shops in the city centre, especially in summer.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Saijo sake
Saijo, east of the city, is one of Japan's best-known sake-brewing towns, with soft local water suited to a smooth, mellow style.
Where: Izakaya across Hiroshima, and the breweries of Saijo, several of which offer tastings.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Setouchi lemon
Hiroshima Prefecture is Japan's largest lemon producer, and local lemons flavour sours, cakes, lemon-pepper seasoning and lemon-flavoured oyster dishes.
Where: Bars, cafés and the souvenir shops at Hiroshima Station.
Dish
9.Fried oysters (Kaki-furai)
Plump Hiroshima oysters breaded and deep-fried, served with shredded cabbage and tartare sauce, often as a set lunch.
Where: Set-meal restaurants and izakaya in the city centre and on Miyajima in the winter season.
Food experiences
Okonomiyaki at the griddle counter
Watch a cook build a layered okonomiyaki at one of Okonomimura's stalls and eat it straight off the hot plate with a small metal spatula.
Winter oyster lunch
From about November to March, try grilled, fried and raw oysters at a downtown specialist or the stalls on Miyajima.
Saijo sake street
Take the train about 35 minutes east to Saijo, where several breweries line the streets near the station and offer tastings of local sake.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 3 are usually vegetarian: Momiji manjū, Saijo sake and Setouchi lemon. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- At okonomiyaki counters you can usually add extras such as squid, cheese, green onion or oysters, and choose soba or udon noodles.
- Many restaurants offer English or picture menus; ticket machines are common in noodle shops.
- Izakaya may add a small cover charge with a starter dish.
- Miyajima's restaurants close early, so eat dinner at your ryokan or return to the mainland if staying over.
- Tap water is free and safe in restaurants.
Tipping
Tipping is not practised in Japan; good service is part of the price. Ryokan and high-end hotels may add a service charge.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Konnichiwa | Hello |
| Arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me / sorry |
| Kore o kudasai | This one, please |
| Okaikei onegaishimasu | The bill, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Hiroshima famous for?
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, Oysters, Conger-eel rice and Momiji manjū. Unlike Osaka's mixed batter, Hiroshima's version is built in layers on the griddle: a thin crêpe, a mound of cabbage, bean sprouts and pork, then yakisoba or udon noodles and a fried egg, finished with sweet-savoury sauce.
+Is Hiroshima good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Momiji manjū, Saijo sake and Setouchi lemon.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Hiroshima?
Tipping is not practised in Japan; good service is part of the price. Ryokan and high-end hotels may add a service charge.