Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake based on a batter containing a variety of ingredients and cooked on a hot plate. The name “okonomiyaki” is derived from the Japanese word “okonomi” meaning “what you like” or “what you want” and “yaki” meaning “grilled” or “cooked”. The history of okonomiyaki goes back about 500 years. It was originally made by spreading a thin layer of flour paste on a hot plate then adding miso for flavouring and rolling into a thin pancake. Later toppings such as chopped green onion and sliced dried fish were added and miso paste replaced by a special sauce. In modern okonomiyaki, a wide variety of ingredients are used such as shrimp, squid, octopus, pork, cabbage and vegetables. The finished pancake is served with a special sauce, mayonnaise and seasonings such as green powdered seaweed (aonori) and dried fish flakes (katsuobushi).

Miyajima Travel Guide

Image from JNTO

Miyajima is a 40 minute trip by tram and ferry from downtown Hiroshima. Most people know Miyajima for its famous giant torii gate, which seems to float on top of the water. The island has been deemed a sacred place since ancient times and is now classified as a “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” in Japan.

The first thing you notice on arrival are the welcoming committee of deer. Several hundred deer roam freely on the 30sq km island, attaching themselves to tourists, who supply them with food.

Japanese Song of the Week SPICE by Perfume

This week’s Japanese Song of the Week is SPICE by Perfume which has debuted at number 2 on the Japanese Jpop Oricon chart.

Perfume (パフューム) is a Japanese all girl pop/techno trio from Hiroshima, Japan. They debuted locally in 2001 and made their major label debut in 2005 as an electropop act. SPICE is Perfume's 11th single.

The group formed in 2000 and named themselves Perfume as all three members had the Japanese character for fragrance (香) in their names. In 2011 their song “Polyrhythm” was chosen for the Pixar movie, Cars 2 soundtrack.