"Disc dumplings," Fukushima's soul food, have been loved by locals for so long that they have been certified as a "100-year food." They are an essential dish when talking about Fukushima's food culture.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of these disc dumplings.

Characteristics of disk dumplings

The gyoza dumplings are fried into a disk shape and have a golden brown color that makes them look appetizing.

Ingredients include ground pork, Chinese cabbage, Chinese chives, green onions, garlic, ginger, etc. Many restaurants use a lot of vegetables in particular, and the ramen has a light flavor despite being filling.

One of the characteristics of Fukushima is that many restaurants are particular about the gyoza wrappers. The steamed part of the wrapper is soft and has a texture similar to that of regular gyoza, but the browned part is fragrant and has a crispy bite. The balance of these different textures is one of the attractions of disk gyoza.

Furthermore, the disk dumplings come with a special sauce, and the addition of raw garlic is unique to Fukushima. By eating them with the sauce, you can enjoy an even deeper flavor.

The History of Disk Gyoza

The roots of Fukushima's disk dumplings date back to the chaotic period after the war. Fukushima suffered little damage from the war, so many repatriates and demobilized soldiers gathered there. The restaurants that these people started as a way to make a living became the catalyst for the creation of today's disk dumpling culture.

The origins of disk dumplings can be traced back to Katsue Kanno, the founder of "Original Disk Dumpling Manpuku," who returned from Manchuria in 1953. Katsue made a living selling dumplings from a handcart near Fukushima Inari Shrine.

Katsue learned how to make gyoza when she was living in Dalian with her husband, Masami, who was an engineer for the Manchuria Railway. She watched as the local servants cooked leftover boiled gyoza in a wok, and learned how to make them.

The style of arranging gyoza in a disk shape, which has continued since the days of the food stalls, was a device to cook a lot of gyoza at once on a charcoal grill, which takes a long time to cook. In a 26cm frying pan that fits a charcoal grill, exactly 30 gyoza lined up look like a disk, so they were named "disk gyoza."

After that, more and more restaurants inherited Katsue's recipe, and disk dumplings gradually became more popular. Nowadays, disk dumplings are served at many specialty restaurants in Fukushima City.

In 2003, the Fukushima Gyoza Association was established to promote disk gyoza as a new Fukushima specialty. Member stores of the Fukushima Gyoza Association hang yellow flags in front of their stores and offer a variety of dishes, including perilla pork gyoza, gyoza with lots of vegetables, and gyoza with a strong ginger flavor.

Tourist spots in Fukushima

There are many tourist spots in Fukushima. This time, we will introduce three popular tourist spots in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.

Aquamarine Fukushima

Aquamarine Fukushima is one of the largest aquariums in the Tohoku region, and is known for its exhibits themed around the tides that characterize the ocean off Fukushima Prefecture. Approximately 800 species of creatures are on display, including colorful tropical fish, seals, sea lions, and many other sea creatures that will greet you.

One of the highlights is the huge aquarium, which can be viewed through a gigantic triangular tunnel. Watching the fish swimming overhead makes you feel as if you are exploring the ocean. Another attraction is the opportunity to try fishing, and you can eat the fish you catch fried. It's a popular tourist spot for families and couples.

Natsui River Valley

The Natsuigawa Valley is a 16km long valley rich in nature that stretches along the Ban'etsu East Line in Fukushima Prefecture, and is popular as a spot where you can enjoy beautiful scenery throughout the seasons. Cliffs and strangely shaped rocks formed by years of erosion, as well as powerful waterfalls, are scattered throughout the valley. Kagoba Falls in particular is a famous spot where it is said that Taira no Kiyomori was captivated by its beauty.

In autumn, the leaves color the valley, and the sight of the maples and Japanese maples turning beautiful colors is a spectacular sight. During the autumn foliage season, the JR Ban'etsu Line also slows down, allowing you to enjoy the spectacular views from the train windows. It is a healing spot that many people visit, as it is a place where you can refresh both body and mind in nature, surrounded by the sounds of the clear stream and the trees swaying in the wind.

Shioyazaki Lighthouse

Shioyazaki Lighthouse in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a beautiful white lighthouse that has been illuminating the ocean 40km offshore from a cliff 73m above sea level since it opened in 1899, ensuring the safety of ships. It is one of only 16 precious lighthouses in the country that the public can climb, and has been selected as one of the "50 Best Lighthouses of Japan."

The lighthouse also became widely known through the late Misora Hibari's famous song "Midaregami," and a monument to the song stands near the lighthouse, making it popularly known as the "Hibari Lighthouse." The lighthouse was damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake and temporarily turned off, but was turned on again as a symbol of the city's recovery. It still maintains its majestic appearance and welcomes many tourists.

How to get to Fukushima

Fukushima, which is attractive for its gourmet food and sightseeing, has a variety of ways to access it. It is also conveniently located near Japan's three largest cities: Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.

From Tokyo, the Shinkansen is the most convenient way to get there. If you take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen, you will arrive at Fukushima Station in about 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can also get there by express bus or car in about 4 hours.

The smoothest way to get there from Osaka is by plane. There are direct flights from Itami Airport to Fukushima Airport, and from there you can take a bus to Fukushima city. You can also take the Shinkansen, which takes about 5 hours via the Tokaido and Tohoku Shinkansen lines.

From Nagoya, the most common way to get there is by Shinkansen. Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Tokyo, then transfer to the Tohoku Shinkansen and arrive at Fukushima in about 3.5 hours. You can also get there by plane in about 1 hour, but there are fewer flights.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive to Fukushima. Find the best way to get there.

Location of Fukushima Prefecture

summary

Disk dumplings are appealing because they offer different textures, are full of vegetables, are filling, and have a light texture. Nowadays, they are popular in households and are very popular with women and children.

If you visit Fukushima, be sure to try the disk dumplings.

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