Japanese Curry
"Japanese curry (kare raisu) is thick, mild, slightly sweet, and completely different from Indian or Thai curry. It's made with a roux base containing curry powder, flour, and oil, resulting in a gravy-like consistency. Served over rice with toppings like pork cutlet (katsu curry), chicken, or vegetables. CoCo Ichibanya is the ubiquitous chain where you customize spice levels (1-10) and toppings. It's comfort food, not exotic."
Logistics
Affordable
Vibe
Comforting, mild
Duration
20-30 minutes
Best For
Comfort food
The Backstory
Curry arrived in Japan via British Navy in the 1870s during the Meiji era. The Japanese adapted it using curry powder and roux, making it sweeter and milder. By the 1960s, instant curry roux blocks (Golden Curry, Vermont Curry) made it a household staple. CoCo Ichibanya opened in 1978 and became Japan's largest curry chain.
Local Secret
"CoCo Ichibanya is perfect for customization—choose rice amount (200-400g), spice level (1-5 for most people, 6-10 is genuinely spicy), and toppings (fried pork cutlet, cheese, spinach). Level 3 is mildly spicy; level 5 has heat. The curry comes with fukujinzuke (red pickled vegetables) on the side. Eat by mixing curry into rice. It's cheap (¥500-800) and fast."