What to eat in Hiroshima now
Japan's top oyster region. Small fish and conger eel from the calm Inland Sea are local favorites.
The Seto Inland Sea, with oyster rafts in Hiroshima Bay, Miyajima, Onomichi and Mihara
Open UmamiHop →Today's picks for where you are, a help card to show the chef, and a menu translator. Free to use.In season in October
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Tachiuo (hairtail), salt-grilled or seared
A silver fish plentiful in the Inland Sea. Rich in autumn; seared-skin sushi is a treat.
- Season
- Jul – Nov
- Best
- Sep – Oct
Show the staff: タチウオの塩焼き・炙り
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Hiroshima oysters (grilled, fried, raw)
Japan's top oyster region, enjoyed many ways: grilled in the shell, deep-fried, or in miso hot pot (dote-nabe).
- Season
- Oct – Mar
- Best
- Dec – Feb
- Where
- Hiroshima Bay, Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi
Show the staff: 広島の牡蠣（焼き・フライ・生）
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Anago-meshi (grilled conger eel over rice)
Miyajima's specialty: grilled conger eel over rice cooked in its sauce. Also sold as a train bento.
- Season
- All year
- Best
- Jun – Sep
- Where
- Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi
Show the staff: あなごめし
-
Gansu (fried fish cake in panko)
A Hiroshima favorite: fish paste mixed with onion and chili, coated in panko and fried. A snack or a bite with drinks. Ingredients vary by maker.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: がんす（魚のすり身の揚げ物）
-
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
Layers of batter, cabbage and noodles griddled together. In winter many places add oysters.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 広島のお好み焼き
-
Onomichi ramen
Soy broth with small-fish stock and bits of pork fat, from the hillside town of Onomichi.
- Season
- All year
- Best
Show the staff: 尾道ラーメン
Coming in November
-
Debera (small dried flatfish), lightly grilled
A winter specialty of Onomichi. Pounded soft with a mallet, then quickly grilled — a classic with sake.
- Season
- Nov – Feb
- Best
- Dec – Jan
- Where
- Onomichi (about 1 hour by train from Hiroshima)
Show the staff: でべら（干した小さなヒラメの仲間）
Local specialties through the year
| 🦪 Hiroshima oysters (grilled, fried, raw) | Oct – Mar |
| 🍱 Anago-meshi (grilled conger eel over rice) | All year |
| 🐟 Ko-iwashi sashimi (small anchovies) | May – Jul |
| 🐟 Okoze (devil stinger), fried or thinly sliced | May – Aug |
| 🐙 Mihara octopus | Jun – Sep |
| 🍚 Tai-meshi (sea bream rice) | Mar – May |
| 🥞 Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki | All year |
| 🍜 Onomichi ramen | All year |
| 🐟 Tachiuo (hairtail), salt-grilled or seared | Jul – Nov |
| 🐟 Mebaru (rockfish) simmered in sweet soy | Feb – May |
| 🐟 Debera (small dried flatfish), lightly grilled | Nov – Feb |
| 🍢 Gansu (fried fish cake in panko) | All year |
Other regions
Nagoya (Aichi) · Fukuoka (Hakata) · Hyogo (Kobe, Akashi) · Kyoto (city, Tango coast) · Hakuba (Nagano) · Hokkaido (Sapporo, Otaru) · Seoul · Busan
Seasons shift with the weather and the catch each year. Ask the restaurant what is in today.