I Visited Konnyaku Park! Enjoying the Free Diet-Friendly Buffet

This time I visited Konnyaku Park, one of Japan’s largest konjac (konnyaku) production factories, located in Kanra, Gunma Prefecture.

It’s a factory that produces delicious konnyaku, but what exactly is this park like? I’ll give you a full rundown of Konnyaku Park — the highlights, how crowded it gets, and what the all-you-can-eat buffet is like.

To cut to the conclusion first: the free konnyaku buffet alone won’t completely fill you up, but the konnyaku here is healthy and genuinely full of flavor, so it’s well worth stopping by on the way to or from sightseeing at Tomioka Silk Mill.

Here are the details, along with why I think so.

Buy your Tomioka Silk Mill admission ticket at Konnyaku Park for a special perk

What Kind of Place Is Konnyaku Park?

Konnyaku Park, located in Kanra, Gunma Prefecture, is one of Japan’s largest konjac production factories — a facility built to share the appeal of konnyaku, a traditional Japanese food, so that it can still be enjoyed as part of Japanese food culture a hundred years from now.

The facility is divided into three zones: the factory zone (covering konnyaku, shirataki noodles, and jelly production), the buffet zone, and the souvenir zone.

The big draws are the factory you can tour up close and the free all-you-can-eat konnyaku buffet, and the shop sells a wide range of konnyaku products, including low-carb items exclusive to Konnyaku Park.

The zero-calorie, low-carb jelly is a dieter’s best friend!!

How to Enjoy Konnyaku Park: Highlights

Here are the highlights of Konnyaku Park.

See: Tour the Konnyaku Production Factory

After checking in at reception, head up to the 2nd floor by stairs or elevator and enjoy the factory tour.

The tour is designed as one loop that brings you back to where you started, running about 330 meters in total.

You’ll start with the jelly factory, then move on to tour the konnyaku factory areas in sequence.

Taste: Enjoy the Free All-You-Can-Eat Konnyaku Buffet

Back on the 1st floor, walk through the souvenir zone and continue toward the back, and you’ll find the free konnyaku buffet zone.

Here you can sample about 15 different konnyaku dishes, completely free.

Enjoy their signature konnyaku prepared in all kinds of creative ways.

There’s even konnyaku ramen! Eating 100g of it comes to just 18 kcal. Incredibly low calorie.

The sweet-and-spicy simmered konnyaku has a bit of a kick — it goes great as a drinking snack.

There’s even a sauce-yakisoba-style dish — but yes, it’s made from konnyaku.

There’s also a healthy sweets buffet corner using fiber-rich konnyaku!

Hard to believe it’s all konnyaku, isn’t it?

And it’s all free — what a deal!! Here’s what it looks like once you’ve piled your tray high.

There are plenty of spacious tables where you can sit down comfortably.

Buy: Pick Up Souvenirs at the Konnyaku Shop

The shop stocks a huge selection of products exclusive to Konnyaku Park along with Gunma’s signature souvenirs.

The selection is almost overwhelming!!

You can fill a bag with konnyaku and konnyaku jelly for a flat 540 yen (tax included) — a great way to stock up.

They sometimes sell irregular/out-of-spec items too — a bag packed full of konnyaku for just 130 yen!

They carry plenty of the currently popular zero-sugar, zero-calorie konnyaku products.

The zero-calorie jelly fills you up just enough and is perfect for dieting — I actually have it on a regular subscription order!

Even if you can’t buy it in person, it’s available through several online shopping malls, so it’s worth checking out.

Having it delivered right to your door is so convenient.

Konnyaku is actually pretty heavy, after all.

Limited quantity! Up to 50% off sale!!

Relax: Unwind at the Asian-Style Foot Bath

Step outside and you’ll find five free, resort-style foot baths — a nice way to soothe tired feet from traveling.

The water is drawn from underground water from the Ogawa River, one of Japan’s top 100 renowned water sources and a sightseeing landmark in Kanra, then heated using steam generated by the park’s own factories, and properly purified.

At the Foods Market just south of the foot bath, you can buy fresh local vegetables and seasonal produce!

Play: A Park That Keeps the Kids Entertained

There’s also an Italian-made Ferris wheel, “Little Flower,” and a carousel that both kids and adults can enjoy.

How Crowded Does Konnyaku Park Get?

According to the parking lot attendant, Konnyaku Park does get crowded on specific dates, such as Golden Week in May and the summer holidays.

That said, outside of those specific dates, on an ordinary weekend it doesn’t get packed — you can take your time with the factory tour and buffet in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.

I actually visited on a weekday, and the factory tour area was nearly empty, with just a scattering of people mostly at the buffet.

Access to Konnyaku Park

Konnyaku Park is accessible by car only.

Note on GPS/navigation setup: Since the facility is relatively new, older car navigation systems may direct you to the wrong location. Setting the following as your destination instead is recommended:
Name: Kanra Town Hall, Gunma Prefecture
Address: 161-1 Oaza Obata, Kanra, Gunma 370-2292
Phone: 0274-74-3131

Nearby Sightseeing: Tomioka Silk Mill Is Recommended

About a 15-minute drive from Konnyaku Park is Tomioka Silk Mill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site — I covered it in detail in this article on how long to spend at Tomioka Silk Mill.

When it comes to sightseeing in Gunma, Tomioka Silk Mill is one of the first places that comes to mind — it’s that famous.

If you have the time, it’s well worth the visit.

—

About the author

Joe

I love hotels, hot springs, and saunas across the whole country!!
I’ve made it to 40 prefectures so far.
Around 100 hotel stays and 50+ saunas visited, and the count keeps climbing.
My hobbies are travel, golf, snowboarding, saunas, and the gym.

Getting good information is essential to living a rich life.

I’ll keep sharing useful info for wherever your next trip takes you! For work inquiries (venue PR, advertising, hotel article requests), please reach out through this blog’s contact form.
Happy to work flexibly with your needs.

Certified Sauna & Spa Health Advisor