Yakimanju: Gunma's Grilled Sweet Miso Bun

Yakimanju looks like a normal steamed bun but has no filling at all — it's plain leavened dough, steamed, then skewered on bamboo sticks in sets of four or five and grilled over charcoal while being brushed repeatedly with a thick, sweet miso glaze. The result is a slightly smoky, chewy bun with a sticky-sweet crust, eaten as a snack rather than a meal. Its exact origin is disputed among several Gunma cities, including Isesaki, Maebashi, and Numata, each with its own local claim.

Yakimanju is a fixture at Gunma festivals and shrine fairs, sold from open-air stalls alongside other grilled skewer foods, and it's also available year-round from specialty bakeries and some supermarkets across the prefecture. It's typically eaten by hand, straight off the skewer, and works well as a between-meals snack rather than something ordered with a full meal. The sweet miso glaze recipe varies noticeably between makers, so flavor differs more than the simple concept suggests.