The origin of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki! 6 inventions by the first "Iune Mitsuo"

[Invention 1] Okonomiyaki sauce

Around 1950, okonomiyaki was spread with a thin Worcestershire sauce. However, Micchan was concerned that the sauce would soak into the okonomiyaki. One day, while visiting a Worcestershire sauce factory with her father, she discovered a thick deposit that was being discarded midway through the process. Micchan had an instant feeling that this was it, and immediately asked the sauce manufacturer to make a sauce thickened with potato starch. This is how the thick "okonomiyaki sauce" that is commonly used today was born.

[Invention 2] Okonomiyaki with soba noodles

"Okonomiyaki with soba noodles" is popular now, but it wasn't a staple from the beginning. It all started when Micchan, who was eating okonomiyaki at a food stall, happened to put okonomiyaki on top of yakisoba noodles. He realized that combining okonomiyaki and yakisoba was not only delicious, but also filling, so he created the original "okonomiyaki with soba noodles." From there, Micchan was the first to offer "okonomiyaki with soba noodles" on the menu. It became popular because it was cheaper than ordering okonomiyaki and yakisoba separately. With the addition of new ingredients, the shape also changed from folded in half to circular.

[Invention 3] Eating with a spatula

When okonomiyaki was served at food stalls, unlike in stores, there was no running water, so customers had to go and get water to wash their dishes. Also, disposable chopsticks were expensive at the time. The "spatula" solved this inconvenience. Micchan had the idea that if you eat it with a spatula, you don't need plates or disposable chopsticks. She suggested to her customers that "it tastes better if you eat it with a spatula," and this unusual yet new style became popular and gradually became established.

[Invention 4] Combination of cabbage and bean sprouts

Micchan wondered if he could turn okonomiyaki into a filling side dish. He came up with the idea of ​​adding cheap cabbage. When he added cabbage, the okonomiyaki became more filling and was delicious. When the price of cabbage skyrocketed, he added bean sprouts, which are cheap all year round, as a way to make it look like there was a lot of filling. The texture of bean sprouts is also good, and they go perfectly with cabbage. This led to cabbage and bean sprouts becoming a standard combination.

[Invention 5] A spatula with a wooden handle

A spatula is an essential tool for making okonomiyaki. When the company first opened, metal spatulas were the norm. Because they would get hot from the heat of the hot plate, they were wrapped in cloth around the handle when using, but the downside was that they would quickly get dirty. That's when the company came up with the idea of ​​attaching a wooden board to the handle. In fact, this invention was apparently for the female owner of a fellow yatai stall. The reputation of the spatula with the wooden board spread, and it began to be used in many okonomiyaki restaurants.

[Invention 6] Iron plate for okonomiyaki

Currently, the "teppan that does not heat up the surroundings" is the norm at okonomiyaki restaurants, but this was also one of Micchan's inventions. The mechanism is that the burner under the teppan is surrounded by fans, forcibly expelling the hot air. Thanks to the completion of this teppan, chefs can now cook okonomiyaki comfortably.

Experience the many inventions of the founder, Mitsuo Inune, at "Micchan Souhonten"!

As Hiroshima's oldest okonomiyaki restaurant, the first owner, Mitchan, also known as Iune Mitsuo, has invented many things. It is no exaggeration to say that Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is still loved by so many people today thanks to Mitchan's inventions and efforts. If you visit Hiroshima, be sure to experience the history, taste, and style of this restaurant at Mitchan Souhonten.

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