Miyajima Food Guide
If you love seafood – especially oysters – and you want fresh and authentic Japanese food then this Miyajima food guide is not to be missed.
Miyajima island is well worth a visit for so many reasons as it offers a UNESCO World Heritage site with the Itsukushima Shrine and its world-famous icon the Floating Torii Gate.
And, of course, the Seven Wonders of Mount Misen and the Shrine of the Eternal Flame and its 1200 year old pot of tea.
There’s so much on Miyajima lsland to explore!
But who knew that the food scene – including the street food – is so incredible here?!
After hiking up Mount Misen, we returned to Omotesando Street on Miyajima, excited to try the grilled oysters and oyster curry bread and oysters baked in lemon sponge dough balls and the famous Miyajima Okomoni-Yaki. Yummy!
WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS MIYAJIMA FAMOUS FOR?
Fresh Oysters: Miyajima has access to the freshest premium-size oysters grown for three years as opposed to one year in the plankton-rich and shallow waters of Hiroshima Bay. They are huge and plump and fragrant and delicious.
Oyster Curry Bread: I love curry and these crunchy dough balls contained two whole large oysters. The flavour was of a mild curried beef oyster. Delicious!
Moniji Manju: Freshly baked or fried momiji manju is a lemon-flavored sponge cake dough often shaped like a maple leaf. It can be topped with ingredients of your choice.
I chose marinated oysters (rather than the other local delicacy of conga eel) and the sweet and salty flavour was so tasty!
Okomoni-Yaki: Then after wandering around snacking and browsing the interesting shops on the street, we found ourselves drawn by the amazing aromas into a Okonomi-Yaki restaurant called Kurawanker.
Okonomi-yaki is a Japanese dish cooked and served on a griddle.
‘Okonomi’ means ‘what you like’ and ‘yaki’ means ‘grilled’.
The food is cooked to order and to your liking, with layers of pancake and a mixture of cabbage, egg, bean sprout, noodles, egg, and whatever else you order with it.
I chose oysters and my backpacking husband had scallops with his Okonomiyaki.
In Kurawanker restaurant, the griddle is the length of the room.
The food is cooked right in front of you as you sit and enjoy the delicious sights and smells in the restaurant and of the Okonomiyaki and the sauce being prepared to your order.
FOOD TO TRY IN MIYAJIMA
I made a Miyajima food map video of our meal being cooked to show you how fascinating it was to watch the Okonomiyaki being prepared and how the layers of ingredients were assembled on the ‘production line’ at the griddle.
It was amazing and the food was absolutely delicious!
Of course, this post only covers the food that we tried on Miyajima Island, and doesn’t even cover the half of the amazing local dishes that are on offer to you.
Our gastronomic experience in Japan so far has been exciting.
We’ve now enjoyed fantastic local Japanese food in Fukuoka and then Hiroshima and now in Miyajima.
Next stop Tokyo before we head onto Osaka!
HOW TO GET TO MIYAJIMA FROM HIROSHIMA
We went to Miyajima Island on a day trip from Hiroshima that we organised ourselves using a combination of tram (or local train from San-Yo Line) and a 10-minute ferry ride.
We used our Suica Card to ride the tram (Line 2) from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima-guchi Station.
When you arrive at Miyajima-Guchi Station, walk for 5-6 minutes to the ferry terminal for the ferry ride.
The route is well signed and you can generally just follow the crowd.
Buy your ticket and take the next ferry boat over to Miyajima Island.
The ferry boats run frequently – three or four times an hour – and journey time is around 10 minutes. Easy!
Are you planning a trip to Japan?
Is Hiroshima on your Itinerary?
Will you visit Miyajima Island?
Let me know? Leave a comment.
I’d be delighted to hear from you!
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