The Curry Revolution in Japan: Where Chaos Meets Tradition

Japan's economy has long been associated with low growth, but its culinary dynamism seems to never rest. Within the complex and vast world of Japanese cuisine, which has absorbed influences from around the globe, there is a new culinary phenomenon emerging—a chaos of flavors known as curry.

Since its introduction via Britain in the late 19th century, curry has cast a spell over the Japanese population. Riding the wave of Western cuisine popularity, it quickly overtook traditional Japanese fare, even becoming a staple in school lunches nationwide.

Curry's magic lies in its ability to effortlessly break down boundaries, resulting in a plethora of curry-infused dishes like curry udon, curry ramen, curry bread, and curry takoyaki.

However, within this short but intense history of Japanese curry, the country of its origin, India, is notably absent. While Indian curry did make its way to Japan, following European curry, it was actually the Nepalese who played a significant role in popularizing it. Curiously, many casual Indian curry restaurants in Japan employed Nepalese staff. This might be due to Nepal's open borders with India, making it cost-effective for Indian owners to hire Nepalese staff. Moreover, this also led to an influx of Nepalese immigrants in Japan.

One of the prime examples of this trend is the proliferation of massive "Indian-Nepali" restaurants across Japan. These restaurants brought giant naans and curries into the Japanese culinary landscape at an astonishing rate.

As Japanese curry, characterized by its mildness, and Indian-Nepali-style naan and curry found equilibrium, a new wave was brewing at the dawn of the 21st century.

In recent years, Tokyo's eastern suburb known as "Little India," specifically Nishi-Kasai, has witnessed a surge in its Indian population. This influx began in the late 20th century, driven by the increased demand for IT professionals due to the Y2K issue. The Indian expatriates formed a community, and in response to local needs, authentic Indian restaurants began to appear across the city.

While North Indian-style naan and curry had been dominant in Japan's culinary landscape, these new restaurants introduced regional specialties from South and East India.

Curry, with its origins in the vast Indian subcontinent and a history spanning over 5,000 years, swiftly took control of Japanese taste buds. During lunch hours, long lines formed outside these restaurants every day. Even Japanese-owned establishments, where the owners had studied in India, gained popularity.

In the summer of 2023, Seven-Eleven, Japan's largest convenience store chain with over 20,000 stores nationwide, introduced "Biryani," a traditional South Indian dish. This marked a significant moment when the Japanese masses encountered the true origin of curry.

Biryani quickly sold out, and there were reports of people searching for it in stores across the country.

We are now amidst a massive whirlwind. Japan's curry culture, which evolved uniquely through European influences, is encountering its origin.

What new chaos will emerge from this encounter? If you want to discover the answer, start by savoring a hearty serving of South Indian curry on a Tokyo street corner, and wash it down with some sweet Madras coffee.