Street Food in Hiroshima

May 19, 2023

Street Food in Hiroshima

Japan is one of the world’s best locations for food, home to more Michelin-star restaurants than any country except France. One of the great things about Japanese food is that each part of the country has its twist on the culinary delights. Hiroshima has many local specialties, including street food dishes. Although it doesn’t have the same level of street food culture as Tokyo or Osaka, Hiroshima has plenty of stalls selling food-to-go in its downtown area. Here are some of the best dishes to look out for.

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is probably the most famous Japanese street food. A savory pancake topped with numerous fillings and cooked on a flat teppan grill; it originated in Osaka. However, Hiroshima’s unique take on okonomiyaki, sometimes called Hiroshimiyaki, involves layering the ingredients rather than mixing them all together first. The Hiroshima version also includes yakisoba noodles, a fried omelet, and cabbage. Other ingredients are added according to taste but typically include the likes of pork belly, squid, cheese, and bean sprouts. Special sauce and mayo are added, and the dish is usually finished with a sprinkling of dried seaweed or fish flakes.

Anago

Another popular Hiroshima specialty is anago, which is saltwater eel. Not to be confused with unagi, a river eel commonly eaten in Japan on the Midsummer Day of the Ox, anago is less fatty and oily but deliciously tasty and enticingly soft. The eel is usually broiled and then grilled with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake and served on a bed of rice. Popular in restaurants on Miyajima, you can also find downtown stalls selling this local treat.

Oysters

If you’re a seafood fan, don’t travel to Hiroshima without sampling oysters. Hiroshima is the oyster capital of Japan, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the country’s oyster production. Each year, Miyajima holds an oyster festival in February where you can find stalls selling various oyster dishes, including yaki-gaki (grilled oyster), gaki-furai (fried, breaded oyster), kaki-meshi (oyster with rice), and even oysters in okonomiyaki. You can also choose from various sauces, including soy, ponzu, and garlic butter.

Onomichi Ramen

Onomichi is a coastal town in east Hiroshima that has its own signature ramen dish that many consider one of the best around. It uses a fish broth with soy sauce to give it a distinct dark color. Thin noodles are simmered in the soup, along with slices of pork loin and green onions. You can find this served at street food stalls and restaurants across Hiroshima.

Tsukemen

This is a bit of an acquired taste as it’s essentially cold noodles served with a very spice dipping sauce. You can usually adjust the spiciness of the sauce to your liking. Along with the noodles are other ingredients that typically include pork, eggs, cabbage, and green onions. As well as buying tsukemen from street food vendors, you can order it in many restaurants where it is often served with a spicy soup instead of a dipping sauce.

nakashi from Chofu, Tokyo, JAPAN, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons