A local organization called the Okonomiyaki Academy in Hiroshima, Japan, will be providing unique meals for the upcoming Group of Seven (G-7) summit in May. They will be serving “okonomiyaki” pancakes that incorporate ingredients from each of the G-7 countries, including Italian spaghetti and American hamburger buns. The academy’s goal is to promote the local dish of okonomiyaki, which has become a symbol of Hiroshima’s recovery and peace after the atomic bomb attack.

The Okonomiyaki Academy is a general, incorporated organization that encourages local restaurants to provide unique meals for special occasions. They promote the dish of okonomiyaki worldwide through research and currently have over 250 okonomiyaki restaurants in Hiroshima Prefecture and beyond. In November 2022, it was officially recognized as Hiroshima’s culinary “ambassador.” For the G-7 summit, the academy consulted with restaurants to create country-named cuisine products and gathered surveys from expatriates from each of the G-7 countries to prepare the menu. The result is a unique blend of Hiroshima’s history and each country’s culinary culture. The academy members also added characteristic ingredients from each nation to standard okonomiyaki so that eateries could customize the meals.

The academy hopes that their okonomiyaki dishes will symbolize peace and rehabilitation in Hiroshima and will be a symbol of cultural exchange and friendship among the G-7 countries. Consumers may sample the recipes online.