VOL.214 APRIL 2026
THE APPEAL OF YOSHOKU: JAPANESE-STYLE WESTERN CUISINE (PART 2) Kaigun Curry – A Dish Passed Down in Yokosuka

Yokosuka Kaigun Curry, a local yoshoku from Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Photo: Yokosuka City

One factor behind the popularization of curry rice in Japan was the dietary reforms in the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Meiji period (1868 to 1912). Its flavor, developed with nutrition and cooking efficiency in mind, has been reconstructed along with history in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and is still being introduced in local initiatives today.

In Japan, cuisine from the West has been welcomed in many forms since the Meiji period. Curry rice is one of those dishes, spreading through multiple channels, such as Western-style restaurants, home cooking, and school lunch (See “The Evolution of the Japanese Classic, Curry Rice,” HIGHLIGHTING Japan, August 2025 issue, “The Significance and Evolution of Japan’s School Lunch Program,” HIGHLIGHTING Japan, December 2025 issue). In the 1880s, the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy was plagued by a serious problem of beriberi¹ caused by chronic malnutrition, and navy surgeon TAKAKI Kanehiro led the Heishoku Kaikaku,² reforms to the naval diet. Among the changes introduced was a dish inspired by the British Navy, in which meat and vegetables were simmered and thickened, then served over white rice. This became known as “curry rice.”

“At the time, a sailor’s diet consisted mainly of white rice, which often led to vitamin deficiencies. Curry rice was said to help provide a balanced intake of protein and vitamins. Its moderately thick consistency goes well with white rice, and is spill-resistant even on a rocking ship, perfect for such an environment,” says WATANABE Hiroo of the Yokosuka Curry Town Business Association. The distinctive feature of navy-style curry rice was that it was designed as a part of system to improve nutrition condition. Over time, retired servicemen are thought to have brought this taste back home, leading to the popularization of navy-style curry rice.

At the time in the Imperial Japanese Navy, cooking methods and menus were outlined in documents, the Gotochufu Kyoiku Kisoku³ (“Regulations on Culinary Education”) and the Kaigun Kappojutsu Sankosho⁴ (“The Official Culinary Manual of the Imperial Japanese Navy”). These were also attempts to organize a food system. Along with the naval records preserved in Yokosuka City, these materials help provide insights into the food culture of the time.

Since the Meiji period, Yokosuka City has developed as a port town centered on the navy, and it still hosts a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) base today. Initiatives to introduce the curry rice originating from the navy began in 1999, aiming to make use of the historical memories remaining throughout the city as local resources. Efforts to recreate and introduce the curry rice served in the Meiji period, based on Imperial Japanese Navy records and materials, went into full swing.

“While valuing the city’s historical background, a movement took shape; Yokosuka City, the Yokosuka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the JMSDF joined forces to promote the navy’s curry rice as a community initiative. We believe it is important to treat history not as a transient topic but to keep passing it on, and this is why we have continued this work for over 25 years,” says WATANABE.

As part of regional revitalization focused on “Yokosuka Kaigun (Navy) Curry,” a variety of events where people can enjoy curry rice, including the Yokosuka Curry Festival, are held.

“Today’s Yokosuka Kaigun Curry was reconstructed based on these navy recipes. It usually has beef or chicken, with onions, carrots, and potatoes, and is served with salad and milk on the side,” explains WATANABE. Authorized restaurants in the city serve it, offering a way to learn about the city’s history by enjoying this culinary experience.

In the JMSDF, there is a tradition of serving curry every Friday during voyages at sea, in order to retain a sense of the days of the week. Against this cultural backdrop, Yokosuka City also runs the “Yokosuka JMSDF Curry” initiative, which lets diners enjoy the JMSDF legacy curry recipes at local restaurants. These dishes recreate the flavors of active-duty naval vessels based on each ship’s recipe, and the serving methods and cooking processes at the restaurants are also verified with the cooperation of the JMSDF to ensure that certain standards are maintained.

These curry flavors born from naval food culture and interwoven with Yokosuka’s history are now also available in retort pouch products and other forms (See “The Evolution of Retort-Pouch Foods, Established as a Pillar of Japan’s Food Culture,” HIGHLIGHTING Japan, April 2026 issue) and are being introduced as part of the city’s local initiatives. This path of preserving tradition while innovating to adapt to the contemporary era exemplifies the distinctively Japanese concept of “local yoshoku.” When you visit Yokosuka City, we encourage you to savor some curry rice while musing about local history.

• 1. A disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin B₁, which leads to peripheral neuropathy and/or heart failure.
• 2. Efforts to review, standardize, and institutionalize military dietary systems from the standpoints of nutritional management and hygiene. Implemented in the modern Japanese military to ensure health maintenance and secure combat strength.
• 3. Regulations set in 1889 for culinary education of non-commissioned personnel in the Imperial Japanese Navy meant to standardize onboard meals and manage nutrition.
• 4. The official culinary manual of the Imperial Japanese Navy, issued in 1908, which indicated preparation methods and menus for food served aboard ships, including curry.

By KUROSAWA Akane
Photo: JMSDF 4th Service School; The Jikei University School of Medicine; Yokosuka City