For an authentic and unforgettable dining experience in Hiroshima, don’t miss visiting Okonomimura. Okonomimura is a multi-story “okonomiyaki village” of more than 25 tiny okonomiyaki restaurants across four floors, squeezed into a mid-century commercial building in downtown Hiroshima.

We had so much fun dining at Okonomimura, that we returned two nights in a row! Read on for my guide to visiting & dining at Okonomimura in Hiroshima, and an overview of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, one of the city’s most beloved regional dishes. Visiting Okonomimura is easily one of the best things to do in Hiroshima.

What is Okonomimura?

Okonimimura is a collection of 25 okonomiyaki restaurants, packed into a multi-storey commercial building in downtown Hiroshima. It was established in 1965, and looks like barely anything has changed inside since then! 

Crowded corners are piled with boxes, the walls are covered in faded posters, and the restaurants are packed in like a tin of sardines. I love how unpolished and unpretentious it is, it feels like a place that’s been frozen in time.

Each restaurant is very small, with a central hot plate, lined with simple counter seating. Every restaurant serves their own version of okonomiyaki. You don’t need a reservation, we walked in two nights in a row and had no trouble finding a spot. 

Of course, you might spend some time walking around looking for a free seats, if you visit during peak times or are in a large group of 4 or more.

What is Hiroshima’s Okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki is a regional Japanese dish, which is a bit like a savoury pancake, made with batter, okonomiyaki sauce and cabbage, and toppings such as pork, octopus, kimchi or shrimp. Okonomiyaki is served at dedicated okonomiyaki restaurants, where customers sit around a griddle. 

There are two distinct regional styles of okonomiyaki: Osaka-style (or Kansai-style) and Hiroshima-style.

The Osaka-style is what you’ll find more commonly throughout Japan and at Japanese restaurants around the world. In Tokyo, we had Osaka-style okonomiyaki, and were able to make the dish ourselves at our table (with some help).

Hiroshima has its own unique style of okonomiyaki, which layers the ingredients, more like a crepe with toppings, rather than mixing everything into the batter like the Osaka-style. Hiroshima okonomiyaki also is served with fried noodles, which is a signature of the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Personally, the Hiroshima-style is my favourite!

Unlike the Kansai-style okonomiyaki restaurants, you don’t cook your own okonomiyaki at Okonomimura. Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki chefs spend years in apprenticeships, and frankly, it looks a bit too complicated for amateurs. Instead, you get to sit back and relax while the pros whip up okonomiyaki before your eyes – my personal preference!

My Experience Visiting Okonomimura

Okonomimura is in the heart of downtown Hiroshima, and it was within walking distance from our hotel. The building doesn’t look like much from the outside, but there’s a large neon sign arcing over the street near the entrance to Okonomimura, and a constant flow of people walking up the stairs into the building. There was a large queue, which we thought we had to join, before realising it was a tour group, and we didn’t need to wait to enter.

There is also an elevator, if you don’t want to take the stairs.

We didn’t have a reservation, or know what to expect, so we were a little nervous walking into Okonomimura for the first time. We didn’t need to worry, because the atmosphere was very casual, and we were able to find a few counter stools which were available, at a restaurant which looked welcoming to tourists.

Before sitting down for dinner, we walked a few laps of Okonomimura, exploring a few floors and getting a feel for the atmosphere before choosing one to eat at. Okonomimura is a lively, bustling dining destination, with the delicious aromas of okonomiyaki wafting through the smokey air inside the building. I wear contact lenses, so my eyes were a bit watery by the time we left!

Some of the restaurants seemed intended for locals only, but this was just my impression – I could be completely wrong! But it wouldn’t be unexpected or unreasonable that some restaurants don’t cater as well to tourists who don’t speak Japanese. 

On our first night at Okonomi-mura, we ate at Hirochan, which has an English menu available and is very welcoming.

At every restaurant, there are low stools surrounding a central griddle, with one or two chefs cooking at the centre. At some places, they’ll offer you a box to put your things in, to move them out of the way, but don’t expect a lot of room otherwise for your bag or coats. 

We enjoyed it so much that we visited two nights in a row, trying two different restaurants. At both, we were presented with a menu in English, which had a variety of different okonomiyaki options, and some Japanese drinks. David loved trying local beers, whereas I’d usually pick shochu or something similar, as wine isn’t widely available in Japan.

The servings are very large, and its quite rich, so while I couldn’t finish mine, I did really enjoy trying something different – and delicious! David had no trouble polishing off his every night.

Practical Details & Tips

How to Get To Okonomimura

Okonomimura is in Shintenchi, which is in the heart of downtown Hiroshima. It’s a 3 mintue walk from the Hatchobori tram stop.

Okonomimura Opening Hours

Opening hours aren’t listed on Google Maps or the Okonomimura website, but TripAdvisor hours have it open from 11am-2am. We went for dinner on both nights of our trip.

Reservations for Okonomimura

You don’t need a reservation for Okonomimura. It does get busy, so if you want to give yourself the best chance of finding a spot quickly, come earlier in the evening.

Tourist Friendly Restaurants at Okonomimura

We ate at Hirochan (Floor 3F) on our first night. I can’t find the name of the restaurant we ate on our second night, but it we were welcome at the first place we tried, many have English menus. 

On the Okonomimura website, you can see all the restaurants and many include in the description whether they have English menus.

How much is Okonomimura?

Okonomimura is free to enter. Dishes of okonomiyaki were less than 1700 YEN (approx $17 AUD) when I visited, and was cheaper than eating in a traditional restaurant. Updated prices aren’t available on the website, but you could expect it to be an affordable meal compared to most restaurants in Hiroshima.

Further Reading

Planning a trip to Hiroshima? Check out these guides:

• Hiroshima Travel Guide for First Time Visitors
• Itinerary for 10 Days in Japan: Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima & Miyajima
• 7 of the Best Places to Visit in Japan

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