VOL.206 AUGUST 2025
THE APPEAL OF YOSHOKU: JAPANESE-STYLE WESTERN CUISINE (PART 1) Western-Style Sauce Tomato Ketchup, Now a Staple on Japanese Dining Tables

An example of tomato ketchup.

Tomato ketchup is one of the essential sauces used in Japan’s Western-style cuisine, known as yoshoku. We spoke with a food manufacturer that was among the first to produce and sell tomato ketchup in Japan—helping to popularize it nationwide—to learn more about its history in the country and the unique qualities that make Japanese ketchup so delicious.

Tomato ketchup is a sauce made by simmering ripe tomatoes with sugar, salt, vinegar, and spices. As a Western-style seasoning, it has become an essential part of Japanese cuisine. TAGUCHI Yuichiro of the Food Marketing and Sales Promotion Department, Marketing Division at Kagome Co., Ltd.—the company that launched Japan’s first tomato ketchup in 1908—spoke to us about the history of ketchup in Japan.

“In the latter part of the 19th century, Kagome founder KANIE Ichitaro was inspired during his military service when a superior officer told him that Western vegetables would shape the future of agriculture. After leaving the military, he began cultivating tomatoes—a vegetable still largely unfamiliar in Japan at the time. Since tomatoes were not well known, sales were initially slow. Seeking a solution, he learned that in the West tomatoes were commonly used as sauces, which encouraged him to start processing them. This led to the birth of domestically produced tomato ketchup in Japan,” explains TAGUCHI.

“In 1903, he developed what is now called tomato purée¹ and supplied it to Western-style restaurants. He then turned his attention to tomato ketchup, which was already popular overseas, and traveled to the United States to conduct extensive research. In 1908, he successfully commercialized ketchup in Japan. In the West, ketchup was typically used as a sweet tabletop sauce for bread, egg dishes, and sausages. Since the original Western flavor did not suit Japanese rice-based meals, he adjusted the acidity and spices, experimenting until the taste brought out aroma and richness when stir-fried—creating a flavor uniquely suited to Japanese cuisine.”

However, at that time, yoshoku was still primarily enjoyed at restaurants rather than prepared at home, so it took considerable time before tomato ketchup became widely used in households as it is today. “As yoshoku—Western-style cuisine adapted to suit Japanese tastes and typically served with rice—developed as a unique cultural tradition in Japan, tomato ketchup gradually found its place at the Japanese dining table,” says TAGUCHI.

A cookbook from the early 20th century titled Tomato Ketchup Ryori no Shiori (A Guide to Cooking with Tomato Ketchup) includes recipes such as chicken simmered in ketchup.

Another major turning point in the spread of tomato ketchup to households was, in fact, a change in packaging. “Until then, ketchup was typically sold in glass bottles, but in 1966, we developed and released the world’s first plastic squeeze tube. It was lighter and easier to use, allowing consumers to squeeze out every last drop. This innovation significantly improved convenience and met the growing demand for preparing yoshoku at home, helping tomato ketchup become a staple in Japanese households,” comments TAGUCHI.

With its improved packaging making it easier to use in cooking, tomato ketchup secured its place as a staple sauce in Japanese households. SHIRAYAMA Hiroki from Kagome’s Food Marketing and Sales Promotion Department, who oversees products for commercial use, adds: “Even today, we plan and host events where the public votes to determine Japan’s best spaghetti Napolitan² or omurice,³ selected from recipes submitted by restaurants across the country.

“As a food manufacturer, we see these events as valuable opportunities to rediscover the appeal of spaghetti Napolitan and omurice—two iconic yoshoku dishes in which tomato ketchup plays an essential role—and to learn more about the techniques and passion of professional chefs. We hope to continue exploring the richness and potential of Japan’s diverse food culture and sharing it through such initiatives.”

If you have the chance to visit Japan, why not experience the uniquely Japanese taste of tomato ketchup through the country’s beloved yoshoku dishes?

• 1. Tomato purée is made by straining and simmering fresh tomatoes. It is used as a base for stews, soups, and other dishes, with a concentration about 3 times that of raw tomatoes.
• 2. See: Yokohama-born Spaghetti Napolitan
• 3. See: OmuRice: A Dish Created Out of the Kindness of a Restaurant Owner

By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: KAGOME CO.,LTD.; PIXTA