Hanshin Department Store in Umeda is hosting a six-day gyoza and craft beer festival at its dedicated food event space on the first floor. Organised in collaboration with Craft Gyoza Fes, a well-regarded dumpling festival that tours cities nationwide, the event brings together around 40 varieties of gyoza from some of Japan’s top restaurants.
Here you can sample everything from classic pork-filled dumplings to distinctive regional styles and inventive modern creations. Adding to the appeal is a rotating lineup of eight craft beers on tap each day, along with roughly 20 additional options in cans and bottles.
Highlights include the famous bite-sized Hakata gyoza from Hachisuke in Fukuoka, and the five-dumpling skewers from Gyozaya Hiro in Kanagawa, which are served with an assortment of flavours such as garlic chili oil, miso and cheese. Also not to be missed is the garlic-free shiso chicken gyoza from Hachiman Gyoza in Utsunomiya, a city in Tochigi that’s often hailed as Japan’s gyoza capital.
Those seeking something to surprise their tastebuds should check out Hiroshima’s Kyoki to Ranbu for its signature bacon, potato and cheese gyoza, or Osaka’s very own Pegasus Gyoza, known for its spicy fried shrimp dumplings with a punchy seven-spice seasoning.