E-mail Newsletter "HIGHLIGHTING Japan"
https://www.gov-online.go.jp/hlj/en/

VOL. 214 (APRIL 2026)

◆The Appeal of Yoshoku: Japanese-Style Western Cuisine ＜Part 2＞◆

Yoshoku, or Japanese-style Western cuisine, is an essential part of Japan’s
culinary culture. Since the country opened to the West, the Japanese have
adopted Western food, experimented through trial and error, and created a
wide array of eclectic cuisine. In this issue of HIGHLIGHTING Japan, we
feature an interview with Professor HIGASHIYOTSUYANAGI Shoko about the
history of yoshoku—shaped by Japanese adaptability, creativity, and passion
for food — and the various local yoshoku. We also explore the appeal of
yoshoku from multiple perspectives, including prominent local yoshoku,
retort pouch foods and Western tableware that has underpinned this culinary
culture.


● What Is Yoshoku? Acceptance and Transformation Seen Through Regional
Varieties
(Interview with Professor HIGASHIYOTSUYANAGI Shoko of BAIKA Women’s
University)

● Hambagu: A Yoshoku Dish Uniquely Evolved in Japan
(Introducing hambagu, which originated in Germany and has undergone a
distinctive evolution in Japan to become a staple of yoshoku)

● Yoshoku Showcasing the Treasures of the Sea
(Introducing yoshoku that uses Japan’s abundant seafood, reflecting
the long, deep-rooted culture of fish and shellfish consumption of this nation
surrounded by the sea)

● Kaigun Curry – A Dish Passed Down in Yokosuka
(Introducing Kaigun Curry, which has become popular as local yoshoku in
Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, thanks to various initiatives)

● Nagasaki — Where Yoshoku Got Started
(Introducing the history of yoshoku in Nagasaki, which has uniquely evolved by incorporating foreign influences, while adapting to Japanese tastes, reflecting the city’s historical role as Japan’s sole gateway for trade with the West during the period when interaction with foreign countries was restricted)

● Sozai Pan: Japan’s Unique Food Culture
(Introducing sozai pan, a uniquely Japanese culinary tradition that combines
bread with a side dish more commonly served with rice, which developed
along with the spread of yoshoku)

● The Evolution of Retort-Pouch Foods, Established as a Pillar of Japan’s Food
Culture
(Introducing retort-pouch foods, which were first established as consumer
products worldwide with the 1968 release of retort-pouch curry in Japan,
and have evolved into their own unique form of food culture)

● Metal Western Tableware Supporting Japan’s Yoshoku Culture
(Introducing metal Western-style tableware such as spoons, forks, which
developed uniquely along with the popularization of Western cuisine)

■POLICY-RELATED NEWS
(Awareness Campaign to Stop Counterfeit and Pirated Content)

■ SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY — THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG LEADERS
(Unlocking the Secrets of Body Water Turnover and Factors Causing
Variation)

■DISCOVERING JAPAN THROUGH THE EYES OF JAPANESE INFLUENCERS
(The Japanese Spirit Within Ikebana)

■INTRODUCING PRECIOUS TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CULTURE TO THE
WORLD
(The Training of Japanese Swordsmiths: Passing Down the Inexpressible
Craft)

■BACK COVER
NATIVE CREATURES OF JAPAN
(Japanese Pond Turtle)

https://www.gov-online.go.jp/hlj/en/april_2026/

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