Gyoza dumplings were a favorite among workers doing heavy labor in ironworks factories, who relied on it as a highly nutritious source of stamina.

They say that this is why there are still so many gyoza shops in Yahata now.  The gyoza stay warm forever in the iron pans, and perhaps that’s why they came to be in this iron town.

These days you can find many restaurants in the Yahata district serving all kinds of gyoza, not just the variety cooked in iron pans.  In 2014 the All-Japan Gyoza Summit was held here!