Utsunomiya – the capital of gyoza in Japan – has Minmin to thank for a lot of this reputation. One of the premiere gyoza places, Minmin’s main branch is the oldest gyoza restaurant in Utsunomiya.

Utsunomiya Gyoza

Utsunomiya Gyoza

What makes the gyoza is Utsunomiya special is their thin wrapping in comparison with other Japanese gyoza. Because it is so thin, when it is fried, the wrapping becomes very crisp and crunchy, almost like a spring roll.

This crisp and crunch – even when compared with other types of fried gyoza – has led to this boom in gyoza restaurants and is why Utsunomiya has declared itself the gyoza capital of Japan.

Additionally, there are many variations on the filling that are found here. Typically, gyoza are filled with a combination of ground pork, onions and cabbage – and the various types (such as Enban Gyoza from Fukushima) typically play with the ratios. On the other hand, in Utsunomiya you can find just about any kind of food within a gyoza wrapper. One of the most popular types is the tonkatsu (pork cutlet) – which is a major feature in the Utsunomiya Gyoza festival held in the first weekend of November every year.

Minmin

Like Orion Gyoza, Minmin is another small chain native to Utsunomiya. The main store has been delivering quality, cheap gyoza for over 60 years and the two branches in JR Utsunomiya Station regularly have lines.

So what makes Minmin special? Why do so many people go there?

The answer lies in the gyoza that they serve. Depending on the store you go to (more on that below), there are three types of gyoza served: deep-fried, regular (meaning steamed) and boiled. These can then be combined into any of the sets, which include picked vegetables, rice and miso soup.

Minmin Mets vs MinMin Station Bar

In JR Utsunomiya Station, there are two stores next to each other: Minmin Mets and Minmin Station Bar. Unlike most Minmin branches, these two do not serve the full range; instead each one serves a different part of the full menu, easing the pressure of the limited space available on both branches. Minmin Mets serves three types of gyoza: regular, deep-fried, and boiled. It has more counter space, so is meant for a quick bite and go.

In contrast, the Minmin Station Bar branch only serves the fried and boiled gyoza. The atmosphere is also more like a restaurant/lounge and has more tables in contrast to Mets but fewer counter spaces. Both also serve soft drinks and beer, but Station Bar also has other types of alcohol.

For both, you stand in the queue outside, which has menus placed in convenient positions to peruse while you wait. When you get closer to the head of the line (e.g. the first 5 places), you give your order to a waiter/host(ess). They relay this information to the kitchen while you wait for a table to become available.

Once a table is available, you are seated and your food is also brought to you almost immediately, so there is almost no additional wait once you enter.

Food

I decided to have the fried gyoza set (12 gyoza, rice and miso soup), an order of karaage (Japanese fried chicken) and umeshu (plum wine):

The bar was set high after having Orion Gyoza the previous day, but I would say that Minmin surpassed it. The gyoza were absolutely delicious – fried to perfection and just the right level of crunchiness. The karaage was also well done: breaded in panko and fried but still juicy and not oily at all. I always find the lemon to be a nice touch.

And finally the umeshu. I am very partial to a good plum wine, and they one they serve pairs very well with the fried gyoza set and kaarage. It was thicker and I had it on the rocks rather than mixed with a sprite/lemonade (another typical way of drinking it).

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