Food & Drink
Curry Rice
カレーライスかれーらいすkarē raisuA British-Indian import that became a national comfort food
Japanese curry rice (karē raisu) is a thick, mildly spiced stew of meat, onions, carrots and potatoes served over rice. It arrived via Britain in the Meiji period and has become one of the most popular home and canteen dishes in Japan.
Curry reached Japan not directly from India but through Britain, where curry powder had become a standard kitchen ingredient. In the Meiji period, as Japan adopted Western food, curry thickened with a flour-based roux appeared in the first Western cookbooks published in 1872 and on the menus of Western-style restaurants. The Imperial Japanese Navy, which modelled much of its organisation on the Royal Navy, adopted curry as a nutritious, easily prepared meal, and former sailors helped spread it to homes across the country.
The result is a dish distinct from both Indian and British curries: thick, glossy, slightly sweet and only moderately spicy, ladled beside or over short-grain rice. It is a fixture of school lunches, company canteens and family dinners, and curry is often listed in surveys among the dishes Japanese people cook most often at home.
What makes Japanese curry
Most Japanese curry is made with instant roux, blocks of fat, flour, curry powder and seasonings that dissolve into the simmering vegetables and meat. Roux became widespread after the Second World War and is sold in grades from mild (amakuchi) through medium (chūkara) to hot (karakuchi). Many families blend two brands or add their own touches: grated apple, honey, soy sauce, coffee, chocolate or Worcestershire sauce.
Beef is preferred in the Kansai region, pork in much of eastern Japan, and chicken everywhere. Curry is traditionally said to taste better on the second day, and leftover curry is often turned into curry udon or baked curry.
Kare ru
カレールウkarē rūSolid curry roux blocks, the basis of most home-made curry.
Amakuchi and karakuchi
甘口・辛口amakuchi, karakuchiMild and hot; chūkara (中辛) is medium.
- 福神漬fukujinzuke
Red-brown sweet vegetable pickle, the standard garnish for curry.
Curry dishes
Curry sauce has been combined with almost every other Japanese staple. Curry shops let customers choose the spiciness, rice portion and toppings, and department stores and supermarkets carry wide ranges of retort-pouch curries, many themed on a region.
- カツカレーkatsu karē
Curry rice topped with a breaded pork cutlet.
- カレーうどんkarē udon
Udon noodles in curry sauce thinned with dashi.
Curry pan
カレーパンkarē panBread filled with curry, breaded and deep-fried; a bakery staple.
Dry curry
ドライカレーdorai karēCurry-flavoured fried rice or a dry minced-meat curry served on rice.
Retort curry
レトルトカレーretoruto karēReady curry in a sealed pouch that is heated in hot water; the first went on sale in Japan in 1968.
Regional curries
Towns and prefectures promote local curries as regional speciality foods, often built on a local ingredient or a historical link. The best known are tied to naval ports and to Hokkaido.
- よこすか海軍カレーYokosuka kaigun karē
Curry based on an early naval recipe, promoted by Yokosuka since 1999 and served with a salad and milk.
- スープカレーsūpu karē
A thin, spicy curry broth with large pieces of chicken and vegetables, developed in Sapporo.
- 金沢カレーKanazawa karē
Very thick, dark curry on a steel plate, topped with a cutlet and shredded cabbage.
- 焼きカレーyaki karē
Curry rice baked with cheese and egg, associated with Mojikō in Kitakyushu.
Curry in everyday life
Curry is one of the first dishes Japanese children learn to cook, often at school or on camping trips, and one of the most requested school lunch meals. The Maritime Self-Defense Force continues the naval tradition of serving curry on a fixed day of the week, which helps crews at sea keep track of the days; each ship has its own recipe.
Indian and Nepalese restaurants, which serve naan and curries closer to their South Asian originals, are also common in Japanese cities and are regarded as a separate cuisine.
Timeline
1872
Two of the first Western cookbooks published in Japan include a recipe for curry.
Late 19th century
The Imperial Navy adopts curry as part of a Western-style diet aimed at preventing beriberi among sailors.
Early 20th century
Curry spreads through Western-style restaurants and department-store dining rooms; curry udon and curry pan appear.
1950s
Solid curry roux blocks become widely available, making curry a quick home dish.
1968
The first retort-pouch curry goes on sale in Japan.
1999
Yokosuka declares itself a 'curry town' and launches Yokosuka navy curry.
Frequently asked questions
How is Japanese curry different from Indian curry?
Japanese curry is thickened with a flour roux, tends to be sweeter and milder, and uses a set combination of meat, onion, carrot and potato. Indian curries vary widely by region and are rarely thickened with flour.
Is Japanese curry spicy?
Usually only mildly. Roux and restaurant curries come in grades from mild to hot, and many curry shops let customers choose extra spiciness levels.
Is Japanese curry vegetarian?
Rarely by default. Besides meat, most roux contains animal fat or meat extract. Some brands and shops offer vegetarian or allergen-free curry, marked as such.
Why do Japanese navy ships eat curry on Fridays?
Serving curry on a fixed day helped crews on long voyages keep track of the week. The Maritime Self-Defense Force keeps the custom, and each ship has its own recipe.
Related
Sources
- 1.横須賀市 (opens in a new tab) — 横須賀市 (Yokosuka City)
- 2.うちの郷土料理 (opens in a new tab) — 農林水産省 (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
- 3.Japan National Tourism Organization – Official travel guide (opens in a new tab) — JNTO