Okonomiyaki: Japan’s Savory Pancake
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) — a savory Japanese pancake made with cabbage, egg, flour, and your choice of toppings — is one of Japan’s most beloved comfort foods. The name comes from okonomi (what you like) and yaki (grilled). As a resident, you’ll encounter okonomiyaki at casual restaurants, festivals, and supermarket hot food sections. Learning to make it at home is one of the most satisfying Japanese cooking skills you can develop.
Osaka vs. Hiroshima Style
The two main regional rivalries in okonomiyaki:
- Osaka style (関西風) — all ingredients mixed together into a thick batter and cooked on a griddle. The inside is fluffy; the outside is slightly crispy. This is the most common style nationwide.
- Hiroshima style (広島風) — ingredients are layered rather than mixed. A crepe-like batter layer, then bean sprouts, cabbage, meat, and noodles (soba or udon) are stacked and cooked separately before being combined. More complex and filling.
Common Toppings
- 豚肉 (buta) — pork belly slices, the classic choice
- 海老 (ebi) — shrimp
- イカ (ika) — squid
- ミックス (mikkusu) — mixed seafood and meat
- チーズ (chiizu) — cheese, common at modern restaurants
- もちチーズ (mochi chiizu) — mochi and cheese, a popular combination
The Toppings After Cooking
The finishing touches that define okonomiyaki:
- お好みソース (okonomi sosu) — a thick, slightly sweet Worcestershire-style sauce. Otafuku brand is the most iconic.
- マヨネーズ (mayoneezu) — Japanese Kewpie mayo, applied in a zigzag pattern
- 青のり (aonori) — dried green seaweed flakes
- かつおぶし (katsuobushi) — dried bonito flakes that wave in the steam (a visual delight)
Teppan Restaurant Experience
At many okonomiyaki restaurants you cook at your own teppan (iron griddle) built into the table. Staff will bring raw ingredients and guide you through the process. It’s a social, hands-on dining experience — perfect for groups. Some restaurants cook for you if you prefer.
Takoyaki: Osaka’s Iconic Street Food
Takoyaki (たこ焼き) are crispy-outside, molten-inside balls of batter filled with chunks of octopus (tako) and green onion. Born in Osaka in the 1930s, takoyaki is now found nationwide — at festivals, dedicated shops, convenience stores, and home griddles.
How Takoyaki Is Made
Special round-mold iron plates (たこ焼き器, takoyaki-ki) are used to create the spherical shape. Batter is poured in, octopus pieces and other fillings added, then each ball is rotated with picks as it cooks to form a perfect sphere with a crispy exterior and creamy interior. The process takes skill and is mesmerizing to watch.
Classic Takoyaki Toppings
- Takoyaki (okonomiyaki) sauce
- Kewpie mayonnaise
- Dried bonito flakes
- Green onion
- Pickled red ginger (紅生姜, beni shoga)
Eating Takoyaki
Fresh takoyaki from the griddle is extremely hot inside — the outside cools quickly but the filling stays scalding. Wait a minute before eating or pierce it carefully with your pick to let steam escape. Takoyaki is eaten on small trays of 6-10 pieces. At festivals and markets, they’re served in paper or foil trays and eaten standing.
Making Both at Home
Both okonomiyaki and takoyaki are popular home cooking choices in Japan:
- Okonomiyaki mix (お好み焼き粉) — premixed flour available at all supermarkets. Just add cabbage, egg, and your fillings.
- Takoyaki iron (たこ焼き器) — electric home versions are sold at electronics stores from around ¥2,000. Kmart-equivalent stores like Don Quijote stock affordable versions.
- Otafuku sauce — available at most supermarkets. The brand sells both okonomi sauce and ponzu sauce versions.
Where to Find the Best
- Osaka’s Dotonbori — the spiritual home of takoyaki. Multiple famous spots compete fiercely on quality. Kukuru and Wanaka are long-established names.
- Hiroshima’s Okonomimura — a multi-floor building (“Okonomiyaki Village”) dedicated entirely to Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with dozens of tiny restaurants.
- Summer festivals (matsuri) nationwide — both dishes are almost universally available at outdoor festivals as yatai (food stalls).
Last checked: May 2026