News On Japan

Exploring Tokyo's Curry Land | We Tried 3 Curry Restaurants in Shimokitazawa

Jul 18, 2023 (Japan by Food) - Today’s byFood adventure takes us on a curry-hunt in Shimokitazawa, a bohemian neighborhood in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward. Shizuka takes in the neighborhood atmosphere, indulges in a curry-feast, and tests the limits of her spice-tolerance.

Shimokitazawa–or Shimokita, as it’s affectionately referred to by the locals–is a charming residential neighborhood near Shibuya. Known for its eclectic thrift stores, multiple dining precincts, relaxed atmosphere, and… curry!

Shizuka begins her culinary journey at Kyuyam-tei Shimokita-sou. She takes a seat and peruses the menu before settling on a shop specialty–a mixed three-curry plate (zen-gake) with a soup curry used to combine the flavors at the end. Belly full but ready for more, she ventures over to Soup Curry Ponipirika. Two curries and one serving of aburi cheese rice, please!

The final stop on this curry-fuelled voyage is Magic Spice, where our brave host faces a curry that sets her mouth on FIRE!

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Osaka’s Minami district, now entering another period of major change with the planned opening of the Naniwasuji Line, the redevelopment of Midosuji and improvements around Nankai Namba Station, has transformed from an area once described as "scary" and "dirty" into one of Japan’s leading tourist destinations.

A 10-ton hoko float was pulled through central Kyoto on July 12 in a trial run ahead of the Yamahoko Junko procession during the Gion Festival's early parade.

A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care.

Transport disruption from Typhoon No. 9 (Bavi) continued on July 12, with airlines warning that some flights serving Okinawa’s outlying islands could still face delays, cancellations or conditional operations even after the storm moved away from the prefecture.

JAXA successfully landed a small experimental vehicle for a reusable rocket on July 11, marking a step toward technology that could increase the frequency of space launches while helping reduce costs.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Food NEWS

The first Pacific saury of the season landed in Hokkaido fetched a record 1.112 million yen per kilogram at an auction in Sapporo on July 10, with one fish later displayed at a retail price of 216,000 yen.

Wasabi, a food ingredient native to Japan, has long been valued not only for enhancing the flavor of other foods but also for its reported antibacterial and antioxidant properties, making it an essential part of the Japanese table.

Mos Food Services, operator of the Japan-born hamburger chain Mos Burger, is riding a strong recovery, with sales surpassing 100 billion yen for the first time in the year ended March 2026 and both revenue and profit reaching record highs.

A Nepalese manager of a busy Indian restaurant in Kodaira, Tokyo, says he fears for the future of his business after Japan tightened the requirements for foreign entrepreneurs seeking to stay in the country under the business manager visa.

Sushiro, Japan’s leading conveyor-belt sushi chain, drew heavy crowds to a new outlet near Ayase Station in Tokyo on June 11, with the first day of business revealing both the brand’s strength and the pressure behind running a high-volume sushi restaurant.

Japan Access, Japan's leading general food wholesaler, is expanding the potential of food logistics with frozen-to-chilled processing, a system that stores products frozen and thaws them only when orders arrive before shipping them to retailers as chilled goods.

Seven chefs tasked with developing athlete menus for the Asian Games opening in September visited a long-established Hatcho miso maker in Okazaki on June 22, as organizers look to promote Aichi’s food culture through fermented seasonings such as miso and soy sauce.

The rapid depreciation of the yen is driving up the cost of imported beef and other foods, prompting some restaurants and supermarkets to shift their focus toward domestic products as the price gap narrows.