Konnyaku: Why Gunma Grows Almost All of Japan's Konjac

Konnyaku, the gelatinous, low-calorie food made from the corm of the konjac plant, depends on well-drained volcanic slopes and a cool climate, conditions Gunma's hillsides provide better than almost anywhere else in Japan. The prefecture has long supplied the large majority of the country's domestically grown konjac potatoes, though it's worth confirming the current production share for an exact figure, since agricultural statistics shift year to year.

Plain konnyaku, mild and jelly-like, is often served as sashimi-style slices with a vinegar-miso dip, letting its neutral flavor carry the seasoning rather than fighting it. Around the Mizusawa and Numata areas, skewered konnyaku steaks grilled with sweet miso glaze are a common street snack, echoing the region's love of miso-glazed grilled foods. It also gets shredded into noodle form (shirataki) for sukiyaki and hot pot, and its bouncy texture is very much an acquired-but-loved local trait.