Teppanyaki in Hiroshima: Showy and Sizzlingly Tasty

Jul 22, 2021

Teppanyaki in Hiroshima: Showy and Sizzlingly Tasty

Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine dating back to the post-war period that uses a large iron plate to cook various foods.  Credit for the creation of teppanyaki goes to the famous Misono restaurant in Kobe. The word teppanyaki comes from the teppan, the large metal plate used for cooking. Yaki itself means simply grilled, broiled, and can include other cooking methods in which heat is directly applied such as baking. Despite the sheer variety of things you can find being made with a teppan (just check out the local matsuri booths), usually, when thinking of teppanyaki in Japan, one’s mind goes to cooking things like steak, shrimp, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and monjayaki. Due to the all the different ways that teppanyaki can be used, it is a very popular in Japan. It is a cooking medium as much as it is a style of cuisine.  

Additionally, thanks primarily to Benihana in the US, Teppanyaki restaurants are increasingly popular around the world with most people heavily associating teppanyaki with Japan over more common Japanese dishes and cooking styles. Unfortunately, one place where the communication wires got crossed was regarding Hibachi, which is often used interchangeably with teppanyaki in the West whereas hibachi is simply a specific type of Japanese grill that is mainly used outdoors. 

There are many teppanyaki restaurants in Hiroshima with some serving mainly the local Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and some being down to earth Izakayas offering a variety of entrees. For the traditional teppanyaki experience though, here are a few recommendations to start you off.

Where to go?

There are several teppanyaki restaurants in Hiroshima that deliver the full experience with varying levels of cost and quality, but here are a few recommendations to start you off.

The top three, arguably, are Atago in the ANA Crowne Plaza, Miyabitei located in the Grand Sheraton Hiroshima in the city next to JR Hiroshima Station, Sakon Main Branch in Nagarekawa. All are upscale restaurants and priced accordingly. Teppanyaki Donkoto is also more on the elegant side but priced a little more comfortable than those mentioned above. It’s in Hatchobori, a couple of minutes walk from the tram stop: head up the Hakushima tram line and left at the second street and it’s there immediately on your right.

However, if you’re looking for something bit more grounded and easier on the pocket, my go-to is Kawaso in Shintenchi. It’s right on the corner opposite the southwest corner of Shintenchi Park (more a plaza than a park).

Kawasoushin 

1-1 Mikawachō, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken 730-0029
kawasoushin.owst.jp
050-3469-5020

All photos by Author