Gyoza City
Welcome to Utsunomiya, the City of Gyoza!
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Welcome to Utsunomiya, the City of Gyoza!
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Where
City Center
What
Food
With over 300 gyoza restaurants in the city, Utsunomiya is the perfect place to sample a wide variety of gyoza. The choices can be overwhelming, so we’re recommending a few unique gyoza shops to get you started!
Utsunomiya first gained a reputation as a Gyoza City in 1987, when a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications revealed that residents of Utsunomiya purchased more gyoza per household than any other city in Japan. In 2001, the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association was formed to increase publicity and support tourism in the city.
Utsunomiya Minmin Honten is one of Utsunomiya’s oldest and most popular gyoza shops. Be prepared to wait in line for these dumplings! With multiple locations in the city, Utsunomiya Minmin Honten serves thousands of freshly-made gyoza daily.
Classic gyoza is prepared in three different ways: Yaki (pan-fried), Age (deep-fried), or Sui (boiled). If you’re new to gyoza or have trouble deciding on a favorite style, don’t worry! You can sample all three varieties here for only 810 yen (USD 8).
For a unique take on gyoza, try Aogen Miso and Gyoza shop. Aogen has been producing miso in the Utsunomiya area for over 300 years and in 1989, they opened their first shop featuring gyoza.
Wondering what to order? The two most popular options at Aogen are their pan-fried gyoza topped with miso sauce and scallions and boiled gyoza served in miso soup.
Nestled in a residential neighborhood away from Utsunomiya’s Gyoza Street, this gyoza shop has a dedicated local customer base. Menmen opened in 1989 as a Chinese restaurant and is still popular for its ramen and fried rice dishes.
Menmen’s unique draw is their crispy “winged” gyoza. Unlike standard pan-fried gyoza, Menmen’s dumplings have a very wide crispy base, giving the impression of “wings” linking the dumplings together.
Gyoza no An is one of Utsunomiya’s newest gyoza shops, and the owner and staff seek to elevate the gyoza-eating experience using locally-sourced ingredients in a stylish location. Luxurious leather stools are situated around a U-shaped bar made of Oya stone so each diner has a view of the chef at work. Be sure to ask the staff about Gyoza no An’s custom shochu and wine pairings from their extensive collection.
The interior of Gyoza no An was designed by the owner, a local architect. Each wall features a different classic Japanese building material. Oya Stone, Kanuma Soil, and traditional clay roof tile materials come together to give the space a stylish, modern appearance.
Gyoza no An’s French-trained chef delights in creating experimental gyoza that push customers to change their opinion of gyoza as cheap, fast food. Locally-sourced ingredients are used to create flavors like Gyoza Pescatore and Truffle-Flavored Gyoza.
Utsunomiya Minmin HontenAogenMenmenGyoza no AnWe recommend using the "Google Travel" planning tool when planning your trip to Utsunomiya, which offers up-to-date hours of operation and information on local venues. You can also use Google Travel to make reservations and compare the cost and availability of hotels and airline tickets.
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