Okonomimura (“okonomiyaki village”) is a building in central Hiroshima packed with small okonomiyaki restaurants, spread over several floors. Each shop is a counter around a hot iron griddle, where the cooks build Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki in front of you: a thin crêpe topped with heaps of cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, noodles and egg, finished with a sweet-savoury sauce.
With more than 20 shops under one roof, it is the easiest place in the city to try the local speciality, and it sits just off the Hondori shopping arcade.
Plan your visit to Okonomimura
- Entry: free (meals from about ¥1,000)
- Hours: vary by shop, most open lunch to late evening
- Time needed: about 1 hour
History of Okonomimura
After the 1945 atomic bombing, cheap griddle pancakes became an important source of food in Hiroshima, and food stalls gathered in the Shintenchi entertainment district. These stalls are the origin of Okonomimura, which took its name in the mid-1960s when the vendors moved into a shared building.
Since 1992 the shops have been in the current building, Shintenchi Plaza, on the east side of Hondori. Many of the counters are family businesses run by second or third generations.
Attractions at Okonomimura
- Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki: layered rather than mixed, usually with soba or udon noodles. Try a classic with pork, or add squid, oysters (in season) or extra noodles.
- Griddle-side counters: you sit right at the teppan and eat straight from the hot plate with a small metal spatula.
- Many shops in one place: each counter has its own style, sauce and specials, so you can come back and try another.
Things to Do at Okonomimura
- Pick a counter: wander the floors and choose a shop that looks busy or has an English menu; many do.
- Watch the cooks: the layering and flipping is part of the fun.
- Try local add-ons: green onion topping, cheese, mochi or a side of grilled oysters in winter.
- Pair with a drink: most counters serve beer and soft drinks.
- Explore Hondori: walk off your meal in the covered shopping arcade next door.
Okonomimura – Entry Eligibility and Open Timings
- Entry: free; you pay only for your food. Expect roughly ¥1,000 to ¥1,800 for an okonomiyaki, depending on toppings.
- Hours: each shop sets its own hours and days off. Most open from around lunchtime until late evening; a few close mid-afternoon. Check the shop you have in mind before you go.
- Payment: some counters are cash only, so carry yen.
- Crowds: the popular shops have queues at dinner time; visiting before 18:00 is easier.
How Long to Spend at Okonomimura
About 45 minutes to 1 hour is enough for a meal. Allow longer if you want to look around several floors or take your time over drinks.
How to Get There
- By tram: take the Hiroden streetcar from Hiroshima Station to Hatchobori or Ebisu-cho (about 10 minutes), then walk 3 to 5 minutes.
- On foot: about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the Peace Memorial Park via Hondori.
- By taxi: about 10 minutes from Hiroshima Station.
- Address: 5-13 Shintenchi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima (Shintenchi Plaza building).
Flying into Kansai Airport and travelling on to Hiroshima by Shinkansen? Book a fixed-price airport transfer to your Osaka hotel first.
Eateries Nearby Okonomimura
If you want a change from okonomiyaki, the streets around Hondori, Nagarekawa and Hatchobori have plenty of choice:
- Oyster restaurants: Hiroshima is Japan’s largest oyster producer, and oysters are best from about November to March.
- Tsukemen: the local spicy dipping noodles are served in many small shops in the area.
- Izakaya: the Nagarekawa nightlife district just east of Okonomimura is full of Japanese pubs.
Other Attractions Nearby Okonomimura
- Hondori shopping street: Hiroshima’s main covered shopping arcade, right next door.
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park: about 10 to 15 minutes on foot.
- Hiroshima Orizuru Tower: rooftop views over the Atomic Bomb Dome.
- Hiroshima Castle: the castle grounds, a short walk north.
- Shukkeien Garden: a historic strolling garden about 15 minutes away on foot.
Before your trip
- Find hotels in Hiroshima: staying around Hatchobori or Hondori puts Okonomimura on your doorstep.
- Get a Japan eSIM before you land, for maps and translation apps.
Okonomimura is the easiest place to try Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki: more than 20 griddle counters on several floors of one building next to Hondori, each with its own recipe. Entry is free, a meal costs around ¥1,000 to ¥1,800, and opening hours vary by shop.
It is a short walk from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and the rooftop of Hiroshima Orizuru Tower is nearby for views before dinner.