Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake based on a batter containing a variety of ingredients and cooked on a hot plate. The name “okonomiyaki” is derived from the Japanese word “okonomi” meaning “what you like” or “what you want” and “yaki” meaning “grilled” or “cooked”. The history of okonomiyaki goes back about 500 years. It was originally made by spreading a thin layer of flour paste on a hot plate then adding miso for flavouring and rolling into a thin pancake. Later toppings such as chopped green onion and sliced dried fish were added and miso paste replaced by a special sauce. In modern okonomiyaki, a wide variety of ingredients are used such as shrimp, squid, octopus, pork, cabbage and vegetables. The finished pancake is served with a special sauce, mayonnaise and seasonings such as green powdered seaweed (aonori) and dried fish flakes (katsuobushi).


In Japan, it is popular to eat okonomiayki at restaurants that specialise in the dish. In an okonomiyaki restaurant you can sit around the hot iron griddle (teppan) while the food is cooked in front of you. Some restaurants have dining tables equipped with these hot plates and customers order the ingredients, mix and cook the okonomiyaki themselves. This is usually a lot of fun and many different types of okonomiyaki can be ordered and tried.

Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with the Kansai and Hiroshima areas of Japan, but is popular all over the country with toppings and batters varying according to each region. In Osaka where okonomiyaki is believed to have originated from, it is often called “Osaka Soul Food”.

Hiroshima style okonomiyaki is a variety where the ingredients are sandwiched between the batter rather than mixed together. The batter is cooked like a thin pancake and the ingredients cooked separately before being placed on the pancake. The okonomiyaki is served on top of yakisoba noodles and sometimes served with a fried egg.

Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki

I highly recommend Okonomiyaki as a must try Japanese dish when in Japan.

Okonomiyaki is also a popular dish to make at home with the whole family. Here is a step by step guide to making Japanese Okonomiyaki

Miyajima Travel Guide

Image from JNTO

Miyajima is a 40 minute trip by tram and ferry from downtown Hiroshima. Most people know Miyajima for its famous giant torii gate, which seems to float on top of the water. The island has been deemed a sacred place since ancient times and is now classified as a “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” in Japan.

The first thing you notice on arrival are the welcoming committee of deer. Several hundred deer roam freely on the 30sq km island, attaching themselves to tourists, who supply them with food.


The must see sights on Miyajima include:

Itsukushima Shrine – A Shinto Shrine built partly over the sea and Miyajima’s most visited attraction. It was first built in the 6th century with its present form dating from around 1168. It is ranked as one of Japan’s three best views.

Senjo-kaku – The Pavilion of 1000 Mats was built in 1587 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It looks out on a colourful five storey pagoda dating from 1407.

Mt Misen – At 530m it is Miyajima’s highest point and is reachable by cable car or a path through the forest to the top. There is a 9th century Buddhist temple near the summit.

Daoshoim Temple – A beautiful temple at the foot of Mt Misen, where 500 Buddhist statues are displayed.

Miyajima is a great day trip from Hiroshima, but there are quite a few places to spend the night including about 20 ryokan (Japanese style inns) and modern style B&Bs.

Miyajima is still a relatively undiscovered wonder for the foreign tourist to Japan, so be sure to put it at the top of your list for your next visit to Japan.

Image from JNTO

Japanese Song of the Week SPICE by Perfume

This week’s Japanese Song of the Week is SPICE by Perfume which has debuted at number 2 on the Japanese Jpop Oricon chart.

Perfume (パフューム) is a Japanese all girl pop/techno trio from Hiroshima, Japan. They debuted locally in 2001 and made their major label debut in 2005 as an electropop act. SPICE is Perfume's 11th single.

The group formed in 2000 and named themselves Perfume as all three members had the Japanese character for fragrance (香) in their names. In 2011 their song “Polyrhythm” was chosen for the Pixar movie, Cars 2 soundtrack.


Watch the music video for the single SPICE by Perfume