🕓 2024/12/26
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Hiroshima Prefecture is blessed with a rich natural environment and stunning scenery. Thanks to the region’s location near the Seto Inland Sea and the Chūgoku Mountains, it has developed a distinctive food culture that makes use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The mild climate and abundance of seafood resources allow visitors to enjoy a variety of gourmet dishes, especially those centered around the bounty of the sea.
Among these, Onomichi Ramen, Hiroshima-yaki, and Shirunashi Tantanmen stand out as iconic culinary specialties of Hiroshima. When you visit Hiroshima Prefecture, be sure to try these three dishes and immerse yourself in the region’s unique food culture.
Onomichi Ramen is a local specialty found mainly in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It features a soy sauce–based broth, flat noodles, and pork backfat floating on the surface, which gives it a distinct style.
The soup is primarily made from a chicken bone stock and enhanced with broth extracted from small fish caught in the Seto Inland Sea—particularly hirako iwashi (Japanese sardines)—imparting a deep, rich flavor. In addition, finely minced pork backfat floats on the surface, adding richness to the otherwise light broth and creating a unique taste. The noodles are usually medium-thin, flat noodles that pair well with the soup and provide a pleasant bite.
With over 80 years of history, Onomichi Ramen has long been beloved by both locals and visitors. Its origins date back to the early Shōwa era (1926–1989), when a Chinese immigrant from Fujian Province, Mr. Zhang, handmade noodles using a bamboo pole and sold them as “Shina Soba” at a food stall. After World War II, Mr. Shu Ajun started serving chūka soba (Chinese-style noodles) from a cart, eventually opening a restaurant named Shukaen. Over time, Onomichi Ramen continued to evolve while remaining closely tied to local culture and history.
iroshima-style okonomiyaki is made by spreading a thin, crêpe-like layer of batter (flour mixed with water), then piling on plenty of cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, and Chinese-style noodles (yakisoba). Finally, an egg is added to bring everything together, resulting in a hearty yet balanced dish. This layered structure not only highlights each ingredient’s flavor but also provides a variety of textures.
A sweet, specially made sauce is drizzled on top and often finished with aonori (green laver) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes). These toppings deepen the dish’s overall flavor and stimulate the appetite. Each bite reveals a delightful combination of crispiness on the outside and fluffiness on the inside, a quality that has captivated many fans.
It is widely believed that Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki traces its roots to “issen yōshoku,” a simple dish eaten before World War II. This dish featured a thin pancake made from flour and water, topped with basic ingredients like green onions. After the war, in a time of scarce resources, this dish evolved into an easy-to-make meal by adding cabbage, noodles, pork, and other ingredients—eventually resembling its modern form. Hiroshima’s abundance of metalworking factories meant that iron plates were relatively easy to come by, leading to a proliferation of okonomiyaki establishments.
By the mid-1950s (Shōwa 30s), more people began converting part of their homes into shops, and the inclusion of noodles and pork became widespread, further popularizing okonomiyaki. Later, around the time of the Hiroshima Carp baseball team’s championship in the 1970s (Shōwa 50s), Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki began appearing in guidebooks and gained nationwide recognition.
Hiroshima's "Dan Dan Noodles Without Soup" captivate many with their unique flavor and stimulating spiciness. The signature feature of this dish lies in the combination of the numbing spiciness of Sichuan pepper (Hua Jiao) and the fiery heat of chili, creating a deeply flavorful experience. The special sauce that coats the noodles offers a perfect balance of spice and umami, making it highly addictive for those who try it. Additional toppings like soft-boiled eggs and green onions further enhance the dish's rich flavors.
When enjoying this dish, it's customary to thoroughly mix it 20 to 30 times immediately after it's served. This ensures that the noodles, sauce, and toppings are evenly combined, allowing diners to savor the dish's complex and profound taste. A popular way to finish the meal is to add rice to the remaining sauce, a practice fondly referred to as "chasing rice" (oimeshi).
The rise in popularity of "Dan Dan Noodles Without Soup" in Hiroshima began in the early 2000s. The renowned restaurant "King Ken," located in Hiroshima's Naka Ward, is credited as the pioneer of this dish. Its style, featuring a bold Sichuan pepper-infused spiciness and a fragrant sesame-based sauce, quickly gained attention and became a local favorite.