Konnyaku Restaurant Shimotsuke

Konnyaku Restaurant Shimotsuke is a restaurant in the Omachi area of Maebashi, Gunma, that centres its entire menu around konnyaku — the gelatinous block made from the corm of the konjac plant. Gunma Prefecture produces approximately 90% of Japan's konnyaku supply, and the corm grows in the volcanic, well-drained highland soils of the Shimonita and Agatsuma areas with particular quality. Shimotsuke exists to demonstrate the ingredient's versatility beyond its familiar role as a rubbery addition to oden or sukiyaki. The konnyaku sashimi — sliced thinly and served raw with two dipping sauces, a white sesame miso and a ponzu — shows the ingredient's natural jelly texture and its surprisingly neutral flavour, which is valued as a canvas for condiments. Konnyaku steak is a more substantial plate: a thick slab is pan-fried until the exterior caramelises into a slightly firm crust while the interior remains springy, finished with butter and soy sauce. Konnyaku oden hot pot — the most warming of the preparations — arrives in a large ceramic vessel with blocks of white and black konnyaku alongside daikon, boiled eggs, and fried tofu in a dashi broth, seasoned with yellow karashi mustard. The dining room is casual and unadorned, with a lunchtime focus; evening service closes early. Konnyaku is naturally very low in calories and high in dietary fibre, a combination that has contributed to its steady tourist appeal.