Yoshoku: Western Favorites With Japanese Flavors

What if I told you that in Japan there are two main categories of food: washoku and yoshoku? What if I also told you that one of those categories includes things like spaghetti, hamburgers, and curry? That’s because washoku means “Japanese food” and yoshoku means “Western food.”

Before you get the wrong impression, Western food in Japan isn’t exactly the Western food you’re accustomed to. It’s Japanese-style Western food reinvented to suit Japanese palettes. So expect your hamburger to be served with a side of white rice in place of the usual fries and your spaghetti in a sauce made from ketchup with mini hot dogs cut to look like octopi.

Beginning in the late 1800s Japan went through a major cultural revolution. At the time, Japan was beginning to import many Western customs and goods to assimilate and fight for a place in an increasingly globalized world where Western Imperial powers were in full force. As such, Japanese cuisine saw an influx of Western ingredients and cooking techniques. Thus, the wide variety of yoshoku dishes that are now found throughout Japan were born!

As I mentioned earlier, yoshoku is just as Japanese as sushi and soba. The ingredients may seem familiar, but the dishes themselves are unique and quintessentially Japanese. Here are some of the most popular yoshoku dishes:

Kare Raisu - Curry Rice

A staple of modern Japanese home cooking, curry rice is a dish born out of British influence in the late 1800s. It is sweeter and much milder than Indian curry and is often made with potatoes, carrots, and onions. This warming, hearty dish can include big hunks of beef and be served over rice, or it can be poured over crispy breaded cutlets of pork or chicken, known as katsu kare. Curry rice is so popular that there is a fast-food chain, CoCo Ichibanya, where you can pick from a staggering menu with add-ons like cheese and eggs! If you want a taste of Japanese curry at home, you can find curry roux cubes in most Asian supermarkets, ready to be added to a slow cooker or stove-top pot for a delicious and easy dinner.

Napolitan

A favorite in kissaten, or cafes, since the 1950s, Spaghetti Napolitan is a far cry from the dishes of Naples it’s thought to have been inspired by, but it is beloved by many. Simple and nostalgic, the tomato-based sauce makes heavy use of ketchup for a sweet tang and includes green peppers, onions, mushrooms, sausage, and bacon.

Hambagu

Hambagu, the Japanese pronunciation for hamburger, isn’t quite what you might expect. Rather than the iconic fast-food hamburgers wrapped in a bun with pickles and ketchup, Japanese hambagu is more a hamburger steak, slathered in sauce and served with rice and a salad. The meat is usually a mix of ground beef and pork and the staple sauce is a demi-glacé. Many family restaurant chains throughout Japan are based around this hearty dish with an array of sauces and preparations, like Gusto and Joyful.

Omurice

A portmanteau of the words omelet and rice, omurice is likely one of the most well-known yoshuku dishes. That’s in large part thanks to Kyoto’s famous cafe Kichi Kichi whose eccentric chef makes a show out of preparing the dish. While there are many ways to prepare omurice, the most iconic is fried rice flavored with beef stock and demi-glacé enveloped in a custardy omelet and covered in ketchup or extra demi-glacé sauce.

About the author: 

Kevin Kilcoyne

The spark that lit Kevin Kilcoyne’s interest in Japanese culture began in elementary school through a friendship with his then classmate Keisuke. Since then, that passion has evolved and bloomed to encompass more than just video games and manga, leading Kevin to live in Japan as a participant of the JET program. During his time in Japan, Kevin sought out as many foods as he could, the experiences and taste memories lingering long after they had gone. Now he is forging a path to link his passions for Japanese food, history, and visual culture and is planning for his return to live in Japan once again. For now, you can find Kevin on Instagram (@waruishouten) where he posts his photography and illustration work. Keep an eye out for more posts and updates as Kevin delves more deeply into his passions for writing and food.