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Hamamatsu is a popular variety of Japanese gyoza filled with cabbage, onions, pork, and selected seasonings. It is characterized by a unique frying style in which cooks arrange gyoza in a circular pattern (hanetsuke, a technique in which a crispy bottom connects all the gyozas) so that they can fry as many snacks as possible at the same time.
It is very popular to pair Hamamatsu gyoza with a topping of bean sprouts.
MOST ICONIC Hamamatsu gyoza
The famous Japanese gyoza are crescent-shaped dumplings that have originated from the traditional Chinese jiaozi dumplings. The recipe was slightly altered to accommodate the Japanese taste, and gyoza soon became one of the favorite Japanese meals.
They consist of a thin wrapper made with wheat flour, eggs, and water, which is then stuffed with a mixture of meat and vegetables. The ingredients used in the stuffing are regionally influenced, but most commonly include minced pork or chicken, cabbage, chives, a substantial amount of garlic, ginger, and green onions.
VARIATIONS OF Gyoza
MOST ICONIC Gyoza
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Age gyoza is a Japanese gyoza variety that's deep-fried. The dish consists of a wrapper that's filled with different kinds of ingredients such as kimchi, shrimp, mushrooms, and pork, among others. Once assembled, the gyoza are deep-fried in hot oil until crunchy, then served piping hot, so it's recommended to excercise caution while eating it.
Age gyoza is traditionally dipped in soy sauce that's customarily served on the side.
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Nikuman are Japanese-style steamed pork buns which were influenced by the traditional Chinese baozi. They consists of leavened wheat dough wrapped around a flavorful ground pork filling. The meat is combined with different vegetables and usually seasoned with soy sauce and various condiments and spices.
The soft, warm, and juicy nikuman buns are mostly enjoyed in wintertime as a popular and comforting street food. They are available in many Chinese restaurants and numerous grocery stores throughout the country.
Hanetsuki is a traditional technique of preparing gyoza in a unique way. Also known as gyoza with wings, hanetsuki gyoza is prepared with dumplings that are filled with savory ingredients, then pan-fried until done. There should be a clump of gyoza in a pan, and they are all connected with a crisp, lacy, and flaky sheet of fried starch at the bottom, consisting of flour and water.
Once prepared, these gyozas look like they have wings, hence the name. This technique was first created in Tokyo by a Japanese owner of the Niihao restaurant, who was inspired by a dumpling dish from Dalian. Hanetsuki gyozas can be rectangular or circular – the rectangular ones are usually prepared in restaurants, while the circular ones are more commonly prepared at home.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 5 Japanese Dumplings” list until April 15, 2025, 1,055 ratings were recorded, of which 923 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.