Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival - Japan's largest gyoza event

The Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival is Japan's largest gyoza food festival, held at Utsunomiya Castle Park in the heart of Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture. This city, conveniently located just 50 minutes from Tokyo Station via the Tohoku Shinkansen, is renowned nationwide as the "holy land of gyoza." The festival first began in 1999, starting with approximately 20,000 visitors, but has since grown into a major event attracting over 80,000 people over two days. Held annually on the first Saturday and Sunday of November, about 30 renowned restaurants affiliated with the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association gather to offer their signature gyoza at special prices. The greatest attraction of the festival is the opportunity to compare and taste a wide variety of gyoza that are normally only available at individual restaurants, all at affordable prices of around 200 yen per plate. The cooking methods vary by restaurant—pan-fried gyoza, boiled gyoza, deep-fried gyoza—each with distinctive characteristics in ingredients, wrapper thickness, and seasoning. Visitors can enjoy food crawling while collecting gyoza cards for stamp rallies and purchasing merchandise. Utsunomiya is also famous as a "jazz city," and during the festival, live performances are held on special stages. Past events have featured comedy shows by the popular local comedy duo U-ji Koji and talk events by celebrities, allowing visitors to enjoy diverse entertainment while savoring gyoza. Access to the venue is excellent, with about a 10-minute walk from Tobu Utsunomiya Station and about a 20-minute walk from JR Utsunomiya Station, making it easily accessible for tourists. In recent years, multilingual support and cashless payment systems have been introduced, creating an environment considerate of international visitors. Some restaurants also offer vegetarian gyoza, accommodating various dietary preferences. The Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival transcends being merely a food event, offering a valuable opportunity to experience Japan's popular gourmet culture. This festival, where you can enjoy the flavors of many renowned restaurants at once, provides a special experience where visitors can feel the charm of Japanese regional cities and the depth of locally rooted food culture.