Japan is a country known for eating with its eyes. When people picture Japanese food, they think of bento boxes garnished with shiso leaves, meals arranged in lacquered trays and pastries that are works of art. However, increasingly, there’s another side of Japanese cuisine that’s getting attention: studiously, unapologetically brown curry. 

Popularised by Wagamama, and now available in most British supermarkets, Japanese curry has taken the U.K. by storm. And, really, it should be no surprise given that Japan’s take on curry is actually thought to be British in origin. 

Curry reached Japan in the 19th century, likely via the British navy. The British navy served an Anglicised version of Indian food on board their ships, probably akin to modern-day chip shop curry sauce. This dish spread across Japan, slowly morphing into Japanese-style curry, or ‘kare’ (pronounced ka-ray). By the late 19th century while kare wasn’t as widespread in Japan as it is today, it was established on some high-end restaurant menus, and seen as a decidedly Western import.

In Japan today, kare is still seen as more European than Indian. Restaurants proudly display signs touting that they serve ‘European-style curry’ (欧風カレー), and in more up-market curry restaurants the curry is often served in a silver gravy boat, alongside buttered potatoes. If a restaurant is instead serving Indian-style curry this will be called ‘spice kare’, to not confuse unsuspecting customers.