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In recent years, Yokosuka has turned "Navy Curry Rice" (海軍カレー Kaigun Curry) into one of its main tourist attractions, advertising it as the City's specialty food. People from all over the country come down to Yokosuka via trains buses, and cars to eat it, and there are Curry Rice festivals, etc. --- it is a real money-maker for the City. In Yokosuka, and all around Japan, Curry Rice is a widely popular comfort food. It basically is a plate or bowl of white rice with a thick curry-flavored beef stew ladled on top (pork and chicken are also used.). It also is prepared with different levels of spiciness, from mild (甘) to hot (辛.) The recipe and cooking of Kaigun-Curry traces its roots directly back to the Japan Imperial Navy (JIN). In the early years following JIN's establishment in 1868, the main health problem suffered by officers and sailors was a serious disease called Beriberi (caused by vitamin B1 deficiency). For example, in 1884, 1,632 JIN pesonnel got sick with Beriberi, and 47 died. So JIN looked around for more nutritious chow to serve on its ships, and then discovered a meal which was being served in Great Britain's Royal Navy, i.e., a beef stew seasoned with (Indian) curry spices. JIN adopted Royal Navy's recipe, added its own touches, and Kaigun Curry was born. The key to its health benefits was that the mixed-in flour and vegetables provided vitamins which had been missing from JIN's previous white-rice-based menus. So, JIN started to regularly serve Curry Rice, and by 1886 there were only 41 cases of Beriberi in the Fleet. Of note, Curry Rice continues to be served nowadays -- every Friday -- in the ships and ashore units of Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). In 1998, JMSDF joined with Yokosuka City Government, and Yokosuka's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to jointly authorize/declare Navy Curry Rice as an "Official Food of the City" -- and there are now many restaurants, cafes, and pubs which serve it, and pre-cooked packets are sold in many souvenir stores. We hope you will get a chance to enjoy Yokosuka's signature dish.

written by Goodfield