Gyoza

The History of Gyoza

Gyoza dumplings originate from ancient China, where they are called Jiaozi. The first records of this dish date back to the 6th century BCE. There are several theories regarding the origin of the name “jiaozi”. One popular theory states that it comes from the dumpling’s unique shape, which resembles a horn—and “jiao” means horn in Chinese. Another theory credits the invention of “jiaozi” to Zhang Zhongjing, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. He used to boil lamb, chili peppers, and medicinal herbs, and then wrap them in dough. He would apply these dough parcels to his patients’ ears to treat frostbite during winter. This recipe was later adapted for everyday cooking and embraced across China.

Gyoza was introduced to Japan during World War II, when Japanese soldiers encountered jiaozi while stationed in China. After returning home, they wanted to recreate the dish, which led to the creation of Japanese Gyoza. The name itself is simply the Japanese pronunciation of the word jiaozi.

The Chinese version of the dumpling is typically steamed or boiled in water. Authentic Japanese gyoza, however, is first pan-fried and then briefly steamed. This method gives Japanese Gyoza a very crispy wrapper on one side and an extremely juicy filling on the other. At the Ajinomoto Jawo plant, we produce authentic Japanese Gyoza.