Isesaki Monja: A Griddle Taste All Its Own

Developed in its own way in the weaving town of Isesaki, isesaki monja is a griddle dish long loved by children within the old penny-candy-shop culture. Alongside the standard savory version, a distinctive style of enjoying sweet seasonings has taken root here. Old penny-candy shops usually had an iron griddle where children gathered to grill monja, and the trace of that era still lives on in the Isesaki taste.

Highlights

Loosely mixed batter is grilled slowly on the iron plate, and you eat little by little while making a fragrant crust. In Isesaki, people distinguish a sweet ama made with strawberry syrup, a kara made with curry powder, and an amakara combining both, letting you enjoy savory and sweet at once, a charm unique to this land. The contrast between the fragrant, scorched surface where the batter meets the plate and the soft, gooey inside is another delight of monja. Scooping from the griddle with a little spatula is part of the fun.

Enjoying the Seasons

In the cold season, gathering around a piping-hot griddle warms the heart. Even in the heat, the fun of grilling and chatting with friends in an air-conditioned shop stays the same, a taste you can drop in for year-round. Choose a sweet seasoning and it can even stand in for dessert.

Access and Basic Information

You can enjoy it at monja shops around JR Isesaki Station and at places evoking the old penny-candy shops. Sit around the griddle among locals and you take in the whole atmosphere of the town. If you are unsure how to grill, ask the staff and they will share the local way.

Practical Travel Notes

• Serving area: mostly monja shops in Isesaki. Isesaki Station on the JR Ryomo Line and Tobu Isesaki Line is the nearest hub.
• Choosing a flavor: besides the standard savory, the sweet ama, curry-flavored kara, and combined amakara are distinctive to Isesaki. Order two and you taste both faces of the town.
• Budget guide: per serving it generally sits in an approachable price range for a light meal.
• How to enjoy: many shops have you grill it yourself, so the time around the griddle is itself the experience.
• Note: it scorches easily, so watch the heat and scoop a little at a time to avoid mistakes.

A Quick Tip

Grill a standard savory one first, then try a sweet version to finish. That way you taste both faces unique to Isesaki in one sitting.

Souvenir and Takeaway Tips

Isesaki monja is the monjayaki loved in Isesaki, Gunma, characterized by a simple style that began in old penny-candy shops (dagashiya) and uses strawberry syrup and ama (apricot). It is meant to be cooked and eaten on the griddle and does not suit taking home, but comparing the ingredients and seasonings from shop to shop is part of the fun. Soak up the nostalgic dagashiya monja atmosphere at a shop in Isesaki.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Main area where it is served: Within Isesaki City. The official website of the Isesaki City Tourism and Products Association lists 13 restaurants in the city where you can try monja.
• Public facility where you can taste it: The Shabondama kiosk inside Kezoji Park Amusement Park (1 Kezoji-cho, Isesaki City / TEL 0270-24-4430). The amusement park is open 9:00-17:00 from March to November and 9:30-16:30 from December to February. It is closed every Tuesday (open when the Tuesday is a public holiday, and open every day in April and August) and from December 29 to January 1. Entry to the park is free of charge.
• How the flavors are named: The official Gunma Prefecture tourism website explains that ama (sweet) contains strawberry syrup, kara (hot) contains curry powder, and amakara contains both. No reservation is required.
• Enquiries: Isesaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry Junior Chamber (0270-24-2211), Isesaki City Culture and Tourism Division (0270-24-5111).

Note: Opening hours and prices vary from one restaurant to another.

(Sources: official website of the Isesaki City Tourism and Products Association, Eat section; official Gunma Prefecture tourism website Kokoro ni Gugutto Kanko Gunma, Isesaki Monja page; official Isesaki City website, Auto Mirai Kezoji Amusement Park page)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourist information provided by Isesaki City and Gunma Prefecture, together with information published by the individual establishments. Prices and menus differ from shop to shop and are subject to change, so please check the official information of each establishment for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: Affordable, from a few hundred yen per serving
• Where to eat it: Monja and okonomiyaki restaurants in Isesaki City
• Recommended time of day: Midday to evening, good as a snack or as a meal
• Avoiding the crowds: Popular restaurants get busy at weekends, so shifting your timing makes for a more relaxed visit
• Enjoy it together with: Distinctive toppings such as strawberry syrup, and a stroll around the streets of Isesaki