Discover the taste of Okonomiyaki

A deliciously sinful crepe that is replete with seafood, meat and vegetables, the Hiroshima Okonomiyaki is very different from all the pancakes you have eaten before. With the occasional addition of eggs and noodles, it is an explosion of flavours and is extremely filling considering how it is loaded with all the delectable goodness in the world. While Okonomiyaki is consumed all over Japan, it was invented and perfected in Hiroshima and the thousands of restaurants around the prefecture that serve the same are wonderful illustrations of that fact.
In order to savour the enriching food culture of Hiroshima, you must visit ‘Okonomimura’ — yes there is an entire food theme park dedicated to this savoury dish. With some 24 restaurants, the most exciting aspect of visiting this place is that you get an array of flavours of Okonomiyaki, right from pork and octopus to copious amounts of cheese. Certain other parts of the city are home to cheap eateries and food stalls where local women prepare and sell fuss-free but ridiculously tasty Okonomiyaki. What started out as a snack commonly served during the pre-war period, Okonomiyaki is now a popular and rather elaborate meal for the Japanese and is gradually being introduced by eager travellers and chefs to other parts of the world. It would be sacrilegious to visit Hiroshima and not try out this flour paste preparation.