After which war did recipes leading to modern gyōza spread in Japan?

Recipes leading to modern gyōza spread in Japan after World War II.

The connection was especially strong at the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, which formed part of World War II in Asia. Millions of Japanese colonists and other residents returned from China and brought knowledge of Chinese foods with them. Some returnees opened inexpensive food stalls, where dumplings were often served alongside ramen.

The postwar setting also helped gyōza become practical and popular. Japan faced severe food shortages, while wheat flour became more available through American aid and changing food distribution. Flour-based foods such as ramen and dumplings fit the circumstances of the period and could be prepared and sold relatively cheaply.

Modern Japanese gyōza developed its own recognizable identity rather than simply copying every regional form of Chinese jiaozi. Japanese versions commonly use pork, cabbage, garlic, and chives; they are frequently pan-fried on one side and finished with steam. The answer is sometimes narrowed to the Second Sino-Japanese War, but “World War II” is the broader and standard answer expected by this question.