A longer hello.
Most people call me Ari. I grew up in Tokyo and moved to Hiroshima about three years ago, meaning to stay for a while. I'm still here.
I've spent most of my working life in restaurants, long enough to know that the places worth your evening are usually the ones where the staff look like they want to be there. That's most of what I look for when I write about somewhere to eat. A lot of the guests I serve come from overseas, and watching colleagues chat with them in easy English is what finally got me studying properly. This site grew out of the same wish: to talk to visitors directly instead of through someone else.
I played soccer from elementary school all the way through high school, and I still need to move to feel like myself. On a day off you'll find me walking across the city, kicking a ball around if anyone's up for it, or sitting in a sauna in Hatchobori. If our paths cross, at a counter, on a tram, or in the okonomiyaki queue, say hello.
What I write about
- Food and Dining. Counters, stalls, and the small places I keep going back to.
- History and Memory. The Peace Park and the city's quieter histories.
- Practical Tips. What to skip, and how to actually move around.
- Activities. Day trips and the pace of a smaller city.
How to reach me
You can email me at hello@explorehiroshima.jp. I read everything; I reply to most things.