Best Curry Rice In Osaka

Japanese curry is a gloriously flavourful, umami-packed sauce with gently spicy depths. Here are our recommended Osaka curry rice places to eat.

[Mannenkare © Florentyna Leow]

Japanese curry is not like Indian or Southeast Asian curry - it’s an entire genre in its own right. At its worst, it’s thick, one-note, and too salty, like it came straight out of a store-bought curry roux mix. But at its best, it’s a gloriously flavourful, umami-packed sauce with gently spicy depths - all without setting your mouth on fire. There are probably as many variations as there are stars in the sky!

Curry is universally loved by Japanese people, and it’s also one of the most comforting, inexpensive meals around. So, it’s no surprise that a city like Osaka is also home to some great curry restaurants. Here are a few well-loved Osakan institutions.

• Mannenkare (Osaka Castle Area; budget)
  Mannenkare specializes in deliciously rich tonkotsu (pork bone) curry (it’s better than it sounds). If you’re a fan of Japanese curry rice, then you’ll probably love this place.
• Hakugintei (Central; budget)
  Hakugintei in Honmachi sees daily queues for its rich, spicy curry rice - it’s the kind of soul food that’s worth queuing for. As it’s a tiny counter seats-only place, this is best for solo diners or in twos. A must-eat for Japanese curry fans.
• Jiyuken (Minami; budget)
  Since 1910, Jiyuken in Namba has been serving up its wildly popular old-school curry rice with a twist: you don’t get to mix the curry into the rice. If you’re not keen on curry, don’t worry - they have other options too!

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Where Are These Places Located?

• Open the Osaka map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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