This time, we will introduce "Hamamatsu Gyoza," a local B-class gourmet food from Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Hamamatsu City is a city located on the coast of Shizuoka Prefecture and is known as the largest designated city in the prefecture.

Hamamatsu is a city with many famous tourist spots, such as Hamamatsu Castle and Hamamatsu City Museum of Musical Instruments, and is visited by many tourists every year.

This time, we will also introduce some of the charming tourist spots in Hamamatsu City, so be sure to check it out until the end!

What is Hamamatsu gyoza?

Hamamatsu gyoza is made with plenty of locally grown vegetables such as cabbage and Chinese cabbage.

It is characterized by a mild flavor that has no meaty odor and highlights the sweetness of the vegetables. The dumplings are baked in round shapes and served with boiled bean sprouts as a garnish.

The history of Hamamatsu gyoza

First of all, the history of fried dumplings in Japan dates back to when soldiers returning from China after the war started serving the delicious fried dumplings they had eaten in China at an outdoor stall.

Later, as it began to be eaten at food stalls, gyoza became a commonly eaten dish and spread to Hamamatsu City as well.

At that time, locally grown vegetables such as cabbage were used, along with meat and fat from the pig farming that was popular in Hamamatsu, and rich, lightly flavored gyoza were born.

It was shortly after the war that boiled bean sprouts were added as a side dish to the hole in the middle of the circular dumplings that characterize Hamamatsu dumplings. Boiled bean sprouts are still an essential palate cleanser for dumplings today.

Also, since there were no gyoza cooking machines at the time, the mainstream method was to arrange them in a circle on a frying pan and cook them all at once, which is said to be how round gyoza were born.

The appeal of Hamamatsu gyoza

The appeal of Hamamatsu gyoza is that the filling is mostly made of vegetables and the skin is thin, making each gyoza very healthy, so even a woman can eat dozens by herself.

The light flavor brings out the sweetness of the cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and other vegetables, and the fragrant, thin crust is a perfect match.

Furthermore, Hamamatsu gyoza has many unique charms, such as the addictive deliciousness of its original sauce.

Differences from Utsunomiya gyoza

The difference between Hamamatsu gyoza and Utsunomiya gyoza is the vegetables used.

Both types use ground pork, but Utsunomiya gyoza uses Chinese cabbage as the main ingredient, giving it a lighter taste than Hamamatsu gyoza.

Hamamatsu gyoza is made primarily with cabbage and onion, giving it a light flavor, while still allowing you to taste the meat and sweetness of the onion.

How to make Hamamatsu gyoza

From here, I will introduce how to make Hamamatsu gyoza.

First, sprinkle salt on the shredded cabbage and leave it for about 5 minutes, then drain well using kitchen paper.

Finely chop the onion, then add the cabbage (which has been sprinkled with salt) and minced pork, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of cooking sake, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well until sticky.

After that, the filling is wrapped in gyoza skin using water-dissolved weak flour as glue.

Add sesame oil to a frying pan heated over medium heat, arrange 4 in a circle without any gaps, and fry over medium heat until golden brown. Add water, cover, and steam over low heat for 7 to 8 minutes until cooked through.

To finish, cook over high heat until the skin is crispy, then arrange on a plate.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl, add boiled bean sprouts in the centre and it's done.

Things to do in Hamamatsu

From here, I will introduce some tourist spots in Hamamatsu City.

Hamamatsu City has many fascinating tourist spots, so be sure to check them out when you visit.

Hamamatsu Castle Park

Hamamatsu Castle Park is located in Matsushiro-cho, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, and was opened in 1950 as a chance to host a children's exhibition.

Later, in 1977, it was redeveloped as a park to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Showa's reign.

The castle tower of Hamamatsu Castle was rebuilt in 1958 with donations from local citizens, and its beautiful appearance captivates all visitors.

In addition to the castle tower, there is also a Japanese garden, a grassy plaza, an art museum, and a children's pool, making it a popular spot for people of all ages.

Lake Hamana Garden Park Observation Tower

The observation tower at Lake Hamana Garden Park is located almost in the center of the park.

It is 50 meters high, and from the observation deck on the top floor you can get a panoramic view of the Garden Park and the beautiful Lake Hamana.

The tower hosts a variety of events to enliven the local area, such as an annual "Climbing the Observation Tower Stairs" event and an event to watch the first sunrise of the year from the observation deck on January 1st.

Furthermore, it is also popular as a spot from which you can see Mt. Fuji on a clear day. Why not visit on a clear day to see Mt. Fuji?

Access to Hamamatsu City

From here, we will introduce how to access Hamamatsu City.

If you are coming from Tokyo, you can take the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station to Hamamatsu Station in 90 minutes.

Similarly, if you are coming from Osaka, you can take the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari from Shin-Osaka Station and arrive at Hamamatsu Station in 90 minutes.

Location of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture

summary

This time, we introduced the appeal of Hamamatsu gyoza and tourist spots in Hamamatsu city.
We can now see that these gyoza have a different appeal from Utsunomiya gyoza.

It's packed with vegetables and is easy for women to eat, so if you've never tried it, be sure to give it a try.

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