all streets shibuya
A local guide made by walking
A Day in the Life of a Gyoza Evangelist in Shibuya Ward
Vol.18 Gaku Ogasawara
(Gyoza Supremo)
2025.03.26
His day job is gyoza. His hobby is gyoza. His lover is
gyoza......Gaku Ogasawara lives and breathes gyoza.
After working for Fast Retailing (known for the UNIQLO
brand) he transitioned into a gyoza a cionado, and has
devoured more than 100,000 of the tasty dumplings to
date. In addition to dumplings, he also works to promote
and educate people about how to enjoy local Chinese
restaurants as a food culture in Japan that is being lost.
Ogasawara has actually been living in Shibuya Ward for
nearly 10 years, where he also runs a personal gym. We
asked about a typical day in Shibuya Ward from the
point of view of a genuine gyoza evangelist.
“Oha-Gyoza”
Eating gyoza at the local Chinese
“I get up, do my oha-gyoza, go for a co ee somewhere, hit
up the gym, eat some local Chinese food, have another
co ee, go for a public bath, sco down some more gyoza,
go to a snack bar, play a bit of mahjong, that kind of thing!”
As he recounted his typical day in Shibuya, Gaku-san
revealed his white teeth through the gaps in his beard.
"Oha gyoza" means to have gyoza for breakfast. And as
he dined his way through the area, he began to amass a
collection of frozen gyoza, and now he even has a freezer
dedicated to them. “If you are after gyoza in Shibuya,
de nitely check out “Shoryu.” It’s an old-style downtown
Chinese diner with a great atmosphere and amazing fried
rice. In a town with such a high turnover of shops, it’s a
testament to their quality that they are still going after all
this time. Overall I think the standard of these downtown
Chinese diners in Shibuya is pretty high.”
A coffee stand in front of the park
and a community-type gym.
”If I feel like a coffee, I’ll often head to “Little Nap COFFEE STAND.” It’s right by Yoyogi Koen Station, and there’s a small park right in front of you so it feels like you are in a corner of the park. You can eat in but I always chill outside. I often hold job interviews for gym trainers in front of the store because it feels more open and less formal (lol).”
The gym in question is “CLIFF GYM”, of which Gaku-san is the proprietor. His personal gym, located on the second basement floor of a nearby building, offers fixed-fee unlimited access, with customers ranging in age from their 20s to 60s.
“After going independent from my previous job, I went to Cebu Island in the Philippines to study English. I set up the company with three friends I met there: they became the trainers, while I was in charge of the front desk. Aside from gyoza, I also wanted to work as something that connects people with each other, so my goal was to create a community-type gym. There is a close relationship between trainers and customers, and between customers themselves, and we hold events including BBQs, athletic meets, and sporting events. We are all into Mölkky which originated in Finland, and some of our trainers have even gone on to compete in world championships!”
The hospitality evident in the cleanliness
of public bathhouses
After pumping some iron in the gym, it’s time to either fill up on Chinese food or go and get clean in a bath house. For Ogasawara, who frequents the area between Yoyogi Uehara and Hatagaya in Shibuya Ward, his favorite bath house is Sengokuyu:
“The lady standing at the front desk is so elegant, I've become a fan. Then there’s the cleanliness. The care with which every inch of the bathtub is cleaned not only soothes you while you soak in it, but also reassures you that you are in good hands. It is a sign of their desire to please their customers.I guess I'm drawn to both public bathhouses and little Chinese diners not simply because I love the Showa era atmosphere, but because of the care and attention that goes into every detail!”
The chef’s burly arms
belie true culinary prowess
Another gyoza institution in Shibuya is “Hakuryu”. One first feels a sense of comfort from the red sign written in white letters, the slightly elevated TV, and other quintessential aspects of a Chinese local joint. His usual "belly-busting" course is to order dumplings, crab fried rice, and pepper steak, washed down with a beer.
“The "wait-and-eat" style, where you wait for the dumplings to cool, allows you to eat them in one bite so you don't miss out on the juices. After waiting for about 3 minutes, take a bite of the gyoza without dipping it in anything so that you can taste the true flavor of the gyoza. ...... Yep, it's that good. I eat here every month, and the consistency of the pan-fried gyoza is superb. Check out the kitchen. You can sometimes catch a glimpse of the owner's burly forearms, an indication of how good the food will be.”
”It is said that Eastern Tokyo still has a lot of these no-frills family-run Chinese chop houses. I thought that living on the east side would be better for eating gyoza ......but there is a good reason to have lived in Shibuya Ward for a long time. Ages ago, I strongly remember someone telling me I would be ‘better off living in a more upmarket area.’ That certainly is the case with interactions with my gym customers, and the fact that they find my activities interesting. It’s also easy to keep abreast of the latest gyoza developments. In fact, I also recommend the gyoza at a mahjong den called "Mahjong Yaro," so let's go there now!
Gyoza and crab fried rice are a staple pairing at Hakuryu.
Choose from 3, 6, or 10 pot stickers.
List
| 1 | Shoryu A traditional Chinese diner located near Sangubashi Station. In addition to the gyoza endorsed by Ogasawara, the ramen noodles with a choice of salt or soy sauce are equally popular. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Little Nap COFFEE STAND The spark that ignited the coffee boom in Japan. During the hot season, iced cafe latte is Ogasawara's recommendation. Has a roasting plant in Tomigaya.<br /><br /> |
| 3 | CLIFF GYM A personal gym run by Ogasawara and his friends. In addition to a fixed monthly fee of 33,000 yen for an unlimited number of visits, there is also a short-term plan that is great for travelers. |
| 4 | Sengokuyu Facing the Nishihara Shotengai, this long-established bathhouse is adored by the local community. The facilities include herbal and massage baths, and the cleanliness of the building is another factor that makes it so popular. |
| 5 | Hakuryu One of the most popular local Chinese diners in Yoyogi Uehara, a hotly contested restaurant district. When visiting, be sure to order at least one dish per person. Closed on Saturdays, open only for lunch on Sundays. |
| 6 | Mahjong Yaro Ebisu mahjong joint where you can enjoy eating gyoza and fried rice just like in a local Chinese diner. Open 10:00-25:00, so you can rock up late at night.<br /> |