Kids friendly and an Authentic Hiroshima Okonomiyaki at Micchan

Okonomiyaki is a regional food of Hiroshima, yet my biggest concern when traveling with kids in Hiroshima was where to have ‘Hiroshima Okonomiyaki’ with a toddler who touches everything. Okonomi Village is too cozy, and most places serve the dish on a hot plate called Teppan. Therefore, I was really worried that the kids might accidentally touch it and get injured before the trip.

However, I found the best place to eat authentic Okonomiyaki safely with kids. Additionally, the founder of Okonomiyaki Micchan was the first person to distribute Hiroshima Okonomiyaki while Hiroshima was rebuilding after the war.

ACCESS AT MICCHAN

Okonomiyaki Micchan has a few branches in Hiroshima City, including EKIE in Hiroshima Station and Orizuru Tower. However, if you’re visiting with kids, I recommend these two branches for their bigger space and tables. Both branches are near tourist destinations, so you can choose according to their operating days. I made the mistake of visiting Haccho-bori Branch on a Thursday, only to find it closed. Instead, I decided to try Jizo-dori Branch for dinner!

If you’re staying at the Hilton Hiroshima, the Jizo-dori Branches are nearby. If you’re closer to Hiroshima Castle, the Haccho-bori Branch is the closest.

HACCHO-BORI BLUNCH　( Closed on Thursdays)

JIZO-DOURI BLUNCH (Closed on Tuesdays)

THE DECOR AND ATMOSPHERE

The inside of the restaurant has a Japanese Izakaya atmosphere. There is a variety of table styles including the bar counter, tables with teppan, and tables without teppan. We chose a table without a teppan, but you can still use a table with teppan without actually using it. It’s good that they provide a kids’ chair (without a belt), so my son could enjoy the meal comfortably. Jizo-dori has kids’ chairs, but I’m not 100% sure about the Haccho-bori branch (a customer mentioned the availability of kids’ chairs in comments, though it’s not listed on the official website).

As you can see in the last picture, many Japanese celebrities have visited Micchan to enjoy authentic Hiroshima Okonomiyaki.

MENU AT MICCHAN

Hiroshima is a popular tourist destination for international visitors, so they also offer an English menu. Additionally, you can find menus in Chinese and Korean on the official website. What really surprised me was that we could choose either ramen noodles or udon noodles, as people from Nagoya never use those noodles in Okonomiyaki.

When ordering your food, the staff may ask how you would like it served, with a teppan or on a normal plate. I chose the normal plate to minimize the risk of my son getting injured.”

WHAT I ORDERED AT MICCHAN

I ordered squid Okonomiyaki with Chinese noodles and an additional topping of green onion. It was absolutely exceptional! I’ve only had fluffy Okonomiyaki, like Japanese pancake, in my life, but the noodles were crispy and packed with other goodies inside. Hiroshima Okonomiyaki basically consists of many layers of goodies inside. My 18-month-old son loved it too, as he kept saying ‘Oishi, Oishi’ many times!

One additional thing I have to mention is: PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO ORDER THE GRILLED OYSTERS! I normally eat raw oysters, and grilled ones were a first for me. Yet, eating grilled oysters with lemon was the best thing I ever had! Hiroshima is also famous for its oysters, so I recommend trying at least one during your trip! The total cost for ordering Okonomiyaki and grilled oysters was only 2,110 yen, and I was highly satisfied!

RESTAURANT INFORMATIONS

JIZO-DORI BRANCH

HACCHO-BORI MAIN BRANCH

Risa

Japanese Blogger

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A Japanese working mom based in Nagoya, Aichi. Studied International Tourism Management and worked in a 5 stars luxury hotel in Bangkok for total 8-ish years. Sharing our culture, lifestyle, local tips, and experiences in traveling, especially in Nagoya and Aichi 🇯🇵