12 Utsunomiya gyoza shops
- One serving costs roughly ¥280 to ¥600, differing by piece count (5 or 6) and whether shops serve pan-fried, boiled or deep-fried.
- Per serving, Masashi is ¥280 for 6 pan-fried or boiled pieces, Kouraku is ¥330 for 6 pan-fried, and Minmin is ¥380 each.
This article contains advertising (affiliate links).
Utsunomiya gyoza (pan-fried dumplings, the specialty of Utsunomiya in Tochigi) cost roughly ¥280 to ¥600 for one serving. Shops differ in the number of pieces per serving (5 or 6) and in which kinds they serve: yaki (pan-fried), sui (boiled) or age (deep-fried). Some can be eaten in the station building right at the JR Utsunomiya Station ticket gates. Veteran shops line “Gyoza-dori” (Gyoza Street), about 5 minutes by bus from the station, and others, like Kouraku in Takarakicho, are best reached by car. This page compares 12 shops by price, takeout and distance from the station.
In short
- Eat right after arriving by train: Aogen, Utsunomiya Gyozakan and Umaiya in the PASEO station building (just outside the ticket gates).
- Visit 2 or 3 veteran shops: “Gyoza-dori” on Babadori (Minmin Honten, Masashi, Goku and Tonkikki are within walking distance of each other).
- Compare many shops in one place: Kirasse Honten (5 permanent shops plus rotating shops).
- The Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival was held on November 7 and 8, 2026 at Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park (¥200 a plate) and has now ended.
Checked with official pages on November 1, 2026 (Japan time).
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1. How to choose an Utsunomiya gyoza shop (distance from the station, price, takeout)
Masashi has the lowest price per serving (6 pieces, ¥280, pan-fried or boiled), Kouraku is ¥330 for 6 pan-fried, and Minmin is ¥380 for each kind.
- Short on time: the shops in the PASEO building at JR Utsunomiya Station (Aogen and Utsunomiya Gyozakan open at 10:00).
- Keep it cheap: Masashi (6 pieces, ¥280, pan-fried or boiled). A gyoza-only shop with no rice or beer.
- Take it home: Masashi’s frozen gyoza (¥240 per serving), frozen gyoza from Kouran, Goku and Gyotendo, and Kirasse, which sells frozen gyoza from over 30 shops.
- Eat late: Gyotendo (until 22:00) and Kirasse Honten (until 21:00 on weekends and holidays).
- Go by car: Kouraku (parking for 42 cars).
2. Prices and access for 12 Utsunomiya gyoza shops
Tap a name to jump to that shop’s section. Prices are per serving of pan-fried gyoza eaten in the shop.
| Shop | Price per serving | Nearest station / access | Takeout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minmin Honten | ¥380 | About 5 min by bus from JR Utsunomiya Sta. (Gyoza-dori) | Yes (shipping too) |
| Masashi | ¥280 (6 pieces) | Gyoza-dori | Yes (frozen) |
| Goku | — | Gyoza-dori | Yes (frozen, online too) |
| Tonkikki Honten | ¥380 | Gyoza-dori | — |
| Kouran Honten | — | Downtown (Honcho); also a west exit shop on Ekimae-dori | Yes (frozen) |
| Gyoza no Carol | — | Miyacho (downtown) | — |
| Gyotendo | ¥600 (5 pieces) | 4 min walk from Tobu-Utsunomiya Sta. | Yes (frozen and pan-fried) |
| Kirasse Honten | Varies by shop | About 10 min walk from JR Utsunomiya Sta. | Yes (frozen, 30+ shops) |
| Aogen PASEO | — | PASEO 1F, JR Utsunomiya Sta. building | — |
| Utsunomiya Gyozakan PASEO | — | PASEO, in front of the JR ticket gates | — |
| Umaiya (JR station) | — | PASEO 2F, JR Utsunomiya Sta. building | — |
| Kouraku | ¥330 (6 pieces) | By car (parking for 42) | Yes |
Sources: each shop’s official site; the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association’s Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page (regular prices at participating shops); and Utsunomiya Kanko Navi of the Utsunomiya Convention and Visitors Association (checked on November 1, 2026). A “—” means no information was found on the official pages.
3. Things to know about choosing a gyoza shop in Utsunomiya
The skin thickness and the share of vegetables in the filling differ from shop to shop, and there is no fixed definition of “Utsunomiya gyoza”. According to the gyoza feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi (Japanese), “Utsunomiya Gyoza” is a trademark that only regular members of the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association may use, and the city is said to have more than 300 shops that serve gyoza.
Most veteran shops serve only pan-fried, boiled and deep-fried gyoza plus rice, and the food usually comes out soon after you order. The same feature describes a local way to order: 2 servings of pan-fried and 1 serving of boiled.
Many shops in the center have no parking. None of the 4 shops on Gyoza-dori (Minmin Honten, Masashi, Goku, Tonkikki) has its own parking. By car, use a nearby coin parking lot or Kirasse’s partner lot (2 hours free with ¥3,000 or more of purchases).
There is also the “Gyoza Tabearuki Ticket” (¥700), a 1-day ticket for the city loop bus “Kibuna” that comes with ¥300 worth of coupons usable at gyoza shops. It is sold at the Kanto Bus commuter pass center, a 1-minute walk from the west exit of JR Utsunomiya Station (gyoza feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
4. The 4 shops on Gyoza-dori (Babadori 4-chome)
Near Utsunomiya Futaarayama Shrine, veteran shops line a street of about 160 m, and even the street lamps and the bus stop are gyoza-shaped. It is about 5 minutes by bus from JR Utsunomiya Station (Gyoza-dori feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
Utsunomiya Minmin Honten
Founded in 1958, it is introduced by Utsunomiya Kanko Navi as the gyoza specialty shop with the longest history still operating. The menu is just pan-fried, deep-fried and boiled gyoza plus rice, pickles and drinks, and the light filling, heavy on napa cabbage, is cooked in sesame oil.
All 3 kinds are normally ¥380 (from the shop list on the Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page of the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association, Japanese). Takeout and shipping are accepted during the same hours. Closing days are set month by month, and in November 2026 they are the 10th, 17th and 24th (all Tuesdays) (business-day notice on Minmin’s official site).
For eating at the station, there are also the Hotel Mets shop at the west exit of JR Utsunomiya Station (PASEO 3F), the Station Bar (station building 3F), and the Miyamirai shop on the 2nd floor of Utsunomiya Terrace at the east exit.
| Name | Utsunomiya Minmin Honten |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-2-3 Babadori, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–20:30 (last order 20:00; closed days set monthly, November 10, 17, and 24, 2026) |
| Phone | 028-622-5789 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Masashi Miyajimacho Honten
The menu is only pan-fried and boiled gyoza, both 6 pieces for ¥280 per serving, and frozen gyoza for takeout is ¥240 per serving. There is no rice and no beer (shop information on Masashi’s official site, Japanese).
It opens at 11:30 and closes when sold out. It is a small shop with 12 counter seats. The frozen gyoza is also sold through the official online shop at ¥1,200 for a box of 30.
| Name | Masashi Miyajimacho Honten |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-3-1 Babadori, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 11:30 until sold out (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) |
| Phone | 028-622-7058 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Goku
Besides its standard special meat gyoza, it has a “jumbo gyoza” that is 2.4 times the size, and a set that lets you compare both on one plate (Gyoza-dori feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
According to Goku’s official site, its special meat gyoza won the Judges’ Special Award at the “National Local Frozen Food Grand Prize 2024-2025”, and frozen special meat gyoza is available online from ¥1,180 for 12 pieces.
| Name | Goku |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-2-4 Babadori, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | Mon–Thu 11:30–20:00, Sat, Sun & holidays 11:00–20:00 (last order 18:45; closed Fridays plus one Thursday a month, November 6, 13, 19, 20, and 27, 2026) |
| Phone | 028-600-3575 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Tonkikki Honten
It stands at the entrance of Gyoza-dori (on the Utsunomiya Omotesando Square side) and is run by Futaba Foods, the maker of the “Sakure” shaved ice. Besides pan-fried gyoza with a strong pork flavor, it has an unusual “pork belly and lettuce roll gyoza” (Gyoza-dori feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
Tonkikki gyoza is normally ¥380 (Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page, Japanese). It closes between lunch and dinner.
| Name | Tonkikki Honten |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-2-3 Babadori, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–14:30, 16:00–20:00 (open daily) |
| Phone | 028-627-2772 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
5. 3 shops downtown (Honcho, Miyacho, Ikegamicho)
Kouran Honten
Founded in 1959, it is known for a thick, chewy skin made with strong flour and a sweet filling centered on cabbage. The main shop also serves age gyoza, made by deep-frying raw gyoza (“Gyoza shops chosen by citizens” on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
If you want a shop near the station, there is also the Utsunomiya Station West Exit shop on Ekimae-dori (11:00 to 21:00). Frozen gyoza is available from Kouran’s official online shop (Japanese). You can also eat Kouran’s gyoza at a permanent shop in Kirasse Honten.
| Name | Kouran Honten |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-24 Honcho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–20:00 (closed Tuesdays) |
| Phone | 028-622-4024 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Gyoza no Carol
The owner has been making gyoza for over 30 years, and the filling is made without chemical seasoning and wrapped in a slightly thick skin. Besides the original pan-fried gyoza, there are shrimp boiled gyoza, Japanese black beef boiled gyoza and soup-style boiled gyoza (Gyoza-dori feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
The shrimp boiled gyoza and the Japanese black beef boiled gyoza are both normally ¥700 (Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page, Japanese). The shop has no parking.
| Name | Gyoza no Carol |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-18 Miyacho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 11:00–20:00 (closed Thursdays) |
| Phone | 028-621-9700 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Gyotendo
It is a 4-minute walk from Tobu-Utsunomiya Station, and open until 22:00 on weekday evenings and on weekends and holidays. According to Gyotendo’s official page, it specializes in round, chewy “Mocchito gyoza”, and both pan-fried and boiled are ¥600 for 5 pieces per serving. The shop’s way to eat the pan-fried gyoza is with mayonnaise mixed with ichimi chili pepper.
It offers takeout of pan-fried gyoza and sells frozen pan-fried and boiled gyoza (shipping nationwide too). At New Year it closes at 15:00 on December 31 and is closed only on January 1.
| Name | Gyotendo |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-11 Ikegamicho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | Weekdays 10:30–15:00, 17:00–22:00, Sat, Sun & holidays 10:30–22:00 (open daily) |
| Phone | 028-689-8518 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
6. Kirasse Honten (compare shops in one place)
Run by the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association, it houses 5 permanent shops (Utsunomiya Minmin, Menmen, Kouran, Ryumon and Satsuki) and a rotating section with more than 30 kinds of gyoza on a daily rotation. The rotating section also has an assortment that lets you taste 5 shops on one plate (Kirasse shop information on Utsunomiya Minmin’s official site, Japanese).
It is in the basement 1st floor of MEGA Don Quijote La Park Utsunomiya in front of Utsunomiya Futaarayama Shrine, about a 10-minute walk from JR Utsunomiya Station. The permanent Minmin is closed on Thursdays and Fridays, so check the day of the week if you are going for Minmin. Menmen’s winged gyoza is normally ¥385, and Satsuki’s Satsuki gyoza is normally ¥370 (Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page, Japanese).
The souvenir corner sells frozen gyoza from more than 30 shops and can ship it to your home. The partner parking lot of MEGA Don Quijote gives 2 hours free with ¥3,000 or more of purchases (Kirasse Honten page on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese). Kirasse PASEO in the JR Utsunomiya Station building is a souvenir-only shop for frozen raw gyoza.
| Name | Kirasse Honten |
|---|---|
| Address | B1F MEGA Don Quijote La Park Utsunomiya, 2-3-12 Babadori, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | Weekdays 11:00–20:30, Sat, Sun & holidays 11:00–21:00 (open daily) |
| Phone | 028-614-5388 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
7. 3 shops in the JR Utsunomiya Station building (PASEO)
These shops are in the station building just outside the ticket gates, so you can stop by between trains (station gyoza feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
Miso to Gyoza no Aogen PASEO
A gyoza shop run by the miso brewery Aogen Miso, founded in 1625, where you eat the gyoza with a miso sauce flavored with plum vinegar and yuzu. Besides traditional pan-fried gyoza there are yuzu miso gyoza made with Tochigi yuzu, and boiled gyoza (gyoza page on Aogen Miso’s official site, Japanese). Last entry is at 20:00, and it closes on the PASEO closing days.
| Name | Miso to Gyoza no Aogen PASEO |
|---|---|
| Address | PASEO 1F, JR Utsunomiya Station Building, 1-23 Kawamukaicho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 10:00–21:00 (last entry 20:00; closed on PASEO closing days) |
| Phone | 028-627-8464 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Utsunomiya Gyozakan PASEO
It has 12 kinds of gyoza, starting with its signature “Kenta Gyoza”, which you can choose as pan-fried, deep-fried or in soup. It also serves Sano ramen (Utsunomiya Gyozakan’s official site, station gyoza feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese).
| Name | Utsunomiya Gyozakan PASEO |
|---|---|
| Address | PASEO 2F, JR Utsunomiya Station Building, 1-23 Kawamukaicho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 10:00–20:30 (last order 30 min before closing) |
| Phone | 028-600-3570 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Umaiya (inside JR Utsunomiya Station)
It is less than 1 minute from the ticket gates and serves pan-fried, boiled and deep-fried gyoza and a fried gyoza that only this shop has (station gyoza feature on Utsunomiya Kanko Navi, Japanese). The fried gyoza is normally ¥528 (Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page, Japanese).
| Name | Umaiya |
|---|---|
| Address | PASEO 2F, JR Utsunomiya Station Building, 1-23 Kawamukaicho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 10:00–21:30 (last order 21:00, open daily) |
| Phone | 028-600-3572 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
8. Kouraku (Takarakicho, a shop to reach by car)
Founded in 1961, it lists its prices on the official menu: 6 pan-fried gyoza for ¥330 and 6 boiled gyoza for ¥380. The skin is made in-house, and the filling uses Japanese-grown vegetables and Tochigi pork (menu on Utsunomiya Kouraku’s official site, Japanese).
It is in Takarakicho, away from the center, with parking for 42 cars, and a temporary lot (20 cars) is also available on Saturdays and holidays. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and on Saturdays it is open for lunch only. For takeout, ask the staff (shop information on Utsunomiya Kouraku’s official site, Japanese).
| Name | Kouraku |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-864-4 Takarakicho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi |
| Hours / Closed | 11:15–13:45, 16:30–19:45 (both end times are last order; lunch only on Saturdays; closed Sundays and Mondays) |
| Phone | 028-652-6565 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 (November 7 and 8, ended)
The Utsunomiya Gyoza Association’s annual thank-you festival was held on Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 9:00 to 17:00 at Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park. 24 shops took part, and every shop sold plates for ¥200 (3 to 5 pieces a plate, depending on the shop), with a limit of 2 plates per person per payment. There was no dedicated parking, and the organizer asked visitors to use public transport (Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival 2026 page of the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association, Japanese).
During the 2 days, participating shops in the city also offered discounts: each Utsunomiya Minmin shop lowered pan-fried, deep-fried and boiled gyoza from ¥380 to ¥330 (dining in only). These offers have ended.
Sources
17 pages we checked
- www.utsunomiya-cvb.org
- www.utsunomiya-cvb.org
- www.utsunomiya-cvb.org
- www.utsunomiya-cvb.org
- www.utsunomiya-cvb.org
- www.utsunomiya-cvb.org
- www.gyozakai.com
- www.minmin.co.jp
- gyouzamasashi.com
- www.goku-gyoza.com
- gyouzakouran.com
- gyotendo.foodre.jp
- www.aogen.co.jp
- www.gyozakan.jp
- www.kouraku.net
- www.kouraku.net
- Japanese version of this page (日本語版)
Checked with official pages on November 1, 2026 (Japan time).
