Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan｜Utsunomiya Minmin - Main shop

To enter this gyoza restaurant, you have to wait in an extremely long line, but I believe it's worth it even if you wait in that long line. It goes without saying that the gyoza are delicious, but beyond that, being able to get into this famous restaurant and having the opportunity to eat here, in itself, holds value, I think.

On our way from Nikko to Tokyo, I googled for what’s famous in Utsunomiya. Apparently dumplings! This place came up as one of the local favourites. Yes indeed it is! One of the best we’ve had. It’s a small place so it’s hard to seat a big group (we are a family of 4) so waiting for seats is inevitable. The pan-fried ones are the best. Inexpensive, delectable and exclusively dumplings. Highly recommended.

Utsunomiya Min Min is a historic restaurant in Utsunomiya, specializing in gyoza. Established in 1958, it offers three types of gyoza: Yaki-gyoza, Sui-gyoza, and Age-gyoza. Known as the first of its kind, the restaurant often has a line due to the popularity of its gyoza, but turnover is fast, so waiting times are reasonable.