[Sunday Culture] January 22 is Curry Day... The Story of Japanese Curry

Japanese Eating Curry 79 Times a Year
Settled as a School Meal Menu After Coming from the UK

Do you like curry? When it comes to using up leftover vegetables in the fridge, there is no better dish than curry. Once you cook a big pot, you just need to reheat it, making it very convenient. Although curry originated from India, "Japanese curry" has become a unique proper noun in its own right.

Japan is truly a country that eats a lot of curry. They make curry udon, pour it over tonkatsu, and even put curry in bread. In fact, January 22nd was also "Curry Day."

(Photo by Curry House)

Since when did Japan start eating curry, and why are they so enthusiastic about it? Today, we will share the story of curry in Japan.

The first Japanese person to try curry rice was physicist Yamakawa Kenjiro, who ate it on a ship heading to study in the United States in 1871 during the Meiji era. At that time, curry powder was introduced to Japan from Britain, and in the same year, the ban on meat consumption in Japan was lifted, which helped spread curry. Japan had prohibited meat consumption for about 1,200 years since adopting Buddhism as the state religion in 675.

However, curry was initially imported from Britain and was actually a dish only the wealthy could enjoy. As curry gained popularity, the first domestically produced curry powder was manufactured and sold in Japan in 1905. The growing trend of Western cuisine also played a role. Meanwhile, traditional Japanese restaurants faced declining sales and, in an effort to attract customers, fusion dishes such as curry udon and curry nanban were created, mainly in Japanese eateries.

As more curry manufacturers emerged in Japan, curry gradually became more popular. In 1927, during the Showa era, curry bread was introduced.

After the end of the Pacific War, solid curry blocks were launched, and curry was introduced into school lunches nationwide, establishing it as a home-cooked meal. Originally, curry was a spicy "adult food," but at this time, the so-called "Vermont Curry," which included apples and honey, was created, expanding options for both children and adults. In 1968, retort pouch curry that could be eaten after simply heating in hot water also appeared.

Later, in 1982, the National School Nutritionist Association proposed adding curry, a favorite among children, to school lunch menus, and January 22nd was designated as "Curry Day." Ultimately, curry was introduced through the opening of Japan’s ports to foreign influences and settled in as a dish adapted to Japanese tastes in various ways.

(Photo by Curry House)

S&B Foods reported in a survey that "Japanese people eat curry an average of 79 times a year," showing their great love for curry. From fusion curries using Japanese ingredients like miso curry and beef tendon curry to various retort pouch curries released by stores like Muji, the variety is extensive.

On Curry Day last January 22nd, there was surprising news. Talent and curry researcher Saito Yuri, who goes by the stage name "Indo Kariko (子)" because of her love for curry, announced her marriage, which was widely reported by Japanese media.

She shared the news of her marriage to a high school classmate on Curry Day, saying, "My husband is like a Buddha who happily eats curry every day no matter how often I make it."

The turmeric in curry is said to be beneficial for health. This coming Monday, why not challenge yourself with a spicy curry to start the week with energy?

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.