Okonomiyaki
Japanese savory pancake grilled on a teppan.
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake cooked on a teppan, or flat griddle, made from a wheat flour batter that can be mixed with or topped by a variety of ingredients. Common additions include cabbage, meat, and seafood, while typical toppings are okonomiyaki sauce (based on Worcestershire sauce), aonori (dried seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger. The name combines a politeness prefix with words meaning "how you like" or "what you like" and "grilled," reflecting its customizable nature. It is an example of flour-based Japanese cuisine, sometimes abbreviated to "okonomi." A thinner, liquid-based version popular in Tokyo is called monjayaki.
The dish has early precursors: a thin crêpe-like confection called funoyaki, recorded as far back as the 16th century by tea master Sen no Rikyū, may have included wheat gluten. By the late Edo period, funoyaki was a thin crêpe baked on a pot with miso on one side. In the Meiji era, a related confection called monjiyaki involved drawing letters or pictures with batter on a teppan, adding chosen ingredients. The word "okonomiyaki" first appeared at a shop in Osaka in the 1930s. After the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, cooking these crêpes became a pastime, and following World War II, when rice was scarce, okonomiyaki emerged as an inexpensive, filling dish, leading to a "boom" that made household equipment and ingredients commercially available. In Kyoto, cheap Western-style cuisine from the Taishō period may have produced an early savory form with Worcestershire sauce and chopped scallion.
Two main regional variants exist. Kansai-style, predominant in Japan, uses a batter of flour, grated nagaimo yam, dashi or water, eggs, and shredded cabbage, often with pork, seafood, or vegetables. It is cooked like a pancake on a teppan and cut with metal spatulas. When served with fried noodles (yakisoba or udon), it is called modanyaki. A thinner scallion-heavy version is negiyaki. In Hiroshima, ingredients are layered rather than mixed: typically batter, cabbage, pork, and yakisoba, with optional items like squid, octopus, egg, or cheese. This style emerged after the atomic bombing, when street vendors used whatever ingredients were available. Outside Japan, okonomiyaki is sold by street vendors in Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, and Jakarta.
- name
- Okonomiyaki
- type
- Savory pancake dish
- origin
- Japan
- main_variants
- Kansai (Osaka) style and Hiroshima style
- key_ingredients
- Wheat flour batter, cabbage, meat, seafood, okonomiyaki sauce, aonori, katsuobushi, Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger
- etymology
- From okonomi ('how you like') and yaki ('grilled')
Lore & Background
Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake cooked on a flat teppan griddle, made from a wheat flour batter that can be mixed with or topped by a variety of ingredients. Common additions include cabbage, meat, and seafood, while typical toppings are okonomiyaki sauce (based on Worcestershire sauce), aonori (dried seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger. The name derives from words meaning “how you like” or “what you like” and “grilled,” reflecting its customizable nature. It is also known by the abbreviated name “okonomi” and belongs to the flour-based Japanese cuisine category. The dish has two main regional variants: the Kansai (or Osaka) style, where batter and ingredients are mixed together and pan-fried like a pancake, and the Hiroshima style, where ingredients are layered—typically batter, cabbage, pork, and yakisoba noodles—with optional additions like squid, octopus, or cheese. In Hiroshima, over two thousand restaurants serve okonomiyaki, and the prefecture has the highest per capita concentration of such eateries in Japan. A thinner variation called negiyaki uses a large amount of scallions, similar to Korean pajeon. When served with a layer of fried noodles (yakisoba or udon), the dish is called modanyaki. Outside Japan, okonomiyaki is sold by street vendors in Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, and Jakarta. A related liquid-based version popular in Tokyo is monjayaki, abbreviated as monja.
Reader's Guide
Okonomiyaki is significant as a versatile and widely enjoyed Japanese comfort food, reflecting regional culinary traditions. The Kansai style mixes batter with ingredients like cabbage, meat, and seafood, then pan-fries it, while the Hiroshima style layers ingredients including batter, cabbage, pork, and yakisoba. The dish is often topped with okonomiyaki sauce, aonori, katsuobushi, Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger. Its legacy includes variations like modan-yaki (with fried noodles) and negiyaki (with scallions). Outside Japan, it is served by street vendors in Manila, Taipei, Bangkok, and Jakarta. The dish is also known by the abbreviated name 'okonomi' and is an example of konamono (flour-based Japanese cuisine).
Did You Know?
- The name okonomiyaki comes from okonomi meaning 'how you like' and yaki meaning 'grilled'.
- A liquid-based okonomiyaki popular in Tokyo is called monjayaki.
- The first appearance of the word 'okonomiyaki' was at a shop in Osaka in the 1930s.
- In Hiroshima, there are over 2000 okonomiyaki restaurants, and the prefecture has more per capita than any other place in Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake made from a wheat flour batter combined with cabbage and an assortment of toppings, all cooked on a flat teppan griddle. Its name breaks down into 'okonomi' (however you like) and 'yaki' (grilled), perfectly capturing its spirit of personal choice.
What are Okonomiyaki's powers/role?
Okonomiyaki's greatest strength is its limitless customizability—diners pick their own meats, seafood, and vegetables to fold into the batter. The finished pancake is typically crowned with okonomiyaki sauce, aonori, katsuobushi, Japanese mayonnaise, and a slice of pickled ginger.
How does Okonomiyaki's story end?
The dish has two major regional 'endings': Kansai (Osaka) style bakes a single thick, layered pancake, while Hiroshima style stacks noodles and a separate egg omelette on top of a thinner base. Both versions are equally beloved and widely served across Japan.
Why is Okonomiyaki important?
Okonomiyaki is one of Japan's most recognizable street foods, available in dedicated restaurants, market stalls, and home kitchens nationwide. Its interactive, communal griddle cooking makes it a go-to for casual dining and social gatherings.
What is Okonomiyaki's origin/backstory?
Okonomiyaki originated in Japan and grew out of regional teppanyaki griddle-cooking traditions. It has since become a national staple with distinct Kansai and Hiroshima lineages, each preserving its own batter thickness and layering philosophy.
More in Street Food 1-20
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record