GYOZA 餃子

Welcome to my Gyoza page! Hopefully you find this particular variety of dumpling as intersting as I do and learn much from my information! 

            The Japanese Gyoza dumpling is a descendent of the Chinese Jiaozi dumpling.  This style of dumpling was made popular in Japan after Japanese soldiers stationed in China during World War II were exposed to the Jiaozi.  Certain characteristics of the Gyoza make it distinctly Japanese, but the Chinese roots are evident.  Examining the etymology of Gyoza will show the strong ties to its Chinese roots.  Gyoza dumplings are a common part of meals in modern day Japan and can be found in restaurants across the nation.  The dumpling also enjoys relatively strong popularity in the United States.  Japan is strongly influenced by nations near it, especially China. In some ways Japan suffers from a certain inferiority complex; striving to find a stronger national identity despite all the strong influences from other countries.  For this reason Japan puts a premium on native cultural traditions because it often seems that they are lacking, but the Gyoza is not an example of this.