Japanese Curry

Just the smell of that unmistakable spice blend is enough to make you hungry for the rich, satisfying flavor of Japanese curry. It’s no wonder that it’s every bit as beloved a casual meal in Japan as hamburgers are in America.

You might be familiar with curry from South Asia, but Japanese curry is a completely different dish, with a long, complicated history: back in the Age of Exploration, European countries traveled the seas in search of spices, and they would sauté these spices with a flour-based roux to make rich, flavorful stews. It was this recipe that made its way to Japan, where it was further tweaked to be served over top of white rice, becoming the dish that is now eaten by millions of people throughout Japan every day.

Japanese curry has come a long way, from its roots in South Asia, introduced to Japan by way of European cooking, and now Champion’s Curry is proud to write the next chapter for this delicious dish: bringing Japanese curry to the US with a distinctly American twist, for a great new fast-casual destination.

History

Champion’s Curry got its start in 1961 in the city of Kanazawa, the urban center of a region known for some of Japan’s most discerning food lovers. Chef Yoshikazu Tanaka opened the first Champion’s Curry to serve his own unique spin on this traditional recipe: his curry boasted an incredible richness, both in texture and flavor. Over time, this style came to be known as “Kanazawa curry” throughout Japan, and we take great pride in serving the original.

This brand-new type of Japanese curry was an immediate hit, with the original Champion's Curry serving as many as 2,000 people a day. Today, Champion's Curry has grown into a major fast food curry chain, with over 30 locations in Japan, primarily in the region where we got our start.

And in 2020, a new chapter begins in the Champion’s Curry story, with the opening of our first location in the United States.

We’ve built on Chef Tanaka’s original secret recipe, taking advantage of the incredible ingredients available in America, and updating our style for a great fast-casual curry diner experience. We believe that Japanese curry is poised to become the next big Japanese casual food craze in America after ramen, and we plan to do our part in bringing this delicious dish to people all across America.