Gunma Konjac Dishes

**Konjac Park experience:** Konjac Park (こんにゃくパーク, Kanra, 30 min from Tomioka) is Gunma's most unique attraction — a free konjac factory tour with windows viewing production lines, and a free buffet (無料バイキング, muryo baikingu) offering 20+ konjac dishes: konjac sashimi, miso dengaku, ramen, yakisoba, curry, fried konjac, and sweets. The buffet is unlimited, lasts 30 minutes, and requires no purchase (completely free as marketing for the company's konjac products). Weekends see 2-3 hour waits — visit weekdays (10:00-12:00) for immediate entry. The experience is bizarre, educational, and delicious. **Konjac sashimi:** The most refined konjac dish — thinly sliced konjac served like sashimi with karashi-miso (mustard miso) or soy-wasabi dipping sauce. The texture is slippery, chewy, and refreshing (served chilled). It's vegetarian/vegan-friendly and showcases konjac's neutral base for strong flavors. Order as an appetizer at izakaya or konjac-specialty restaurants (¥600-1,000). **Miso dengaku:** Konjac blocks are skewered, grilled to create a slightly crispy surface, then topped with sweet miso glaze (miso, mirin, sugar). The contrast between chewy interior and caramelized miso is delicious. Found at konjac restaurants (¥500-800) or festival stalls. The dish dates to the Edo period and was originally vegetarian Buddhist temple food. **Konjac souvenirs:** Packaged konjac is sold at stations and highway rest stops — shirataki noodles (white konjac noodles, used in sukiyaki, ¥200-400), konjac jelly drinks (fruit-flavored, ¥150), and ito-konnyaku (thin noodle form, ¥300). Konjac requires refrigeration and has 1-2 month shelf life. The jelly drinks are shelf-stable and popular as low-calorie snacks.