Japanese Soup Curry

Table Of Contents

• Japanese soup curry – 日本のスープカレー –
• The originator of soup curry – スープカレーの元祖 –
• Recommended soup curry restaurants – お勧めのスープカレー店 –
  • Soup Curry SHANTi
  • Soup Curry Neco
  • Soup Curry 心 – cocoro –
  • How to enjoy soup curry in Sapporo, Hokkaido – Video –
  • Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, Hassamu branch, Nishi-ku

Japanese soup curry – 日本のスープカレー –

Japanese soup curry is a curry dish that originated in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Unlike typical curries that are thickened with flour, it is characterized by a light broth (bouillon) made from chicken bones and vegetables, and the flavor of a wide variety of spices.

Features – 特徴 –

A major characteristic is that it contains large chunks of food ingredients. Instead of being simmered and melted down, the dish contains large pieces of chicken leg (bone-in chicken) and brightly colored, lightly fried vegetables.
The soup and rice are served separately.
You can either eat the rice by scooping it up with a spoon and dipping it in the soup, or you can eat it by pouring the ingredients and soup over the rice. Either way is fine.

Customize to your liking – 自分好みにカスタマイズ –

Many restaurants allow you to customize your soup base (chicken-based, tomato-flavored, coconut-flavored, etc.), spice level, and rice portion size in detail.(Some stores may not offer this option.)
I don’t like spicy food, so I always order it without spice, but soup curry is quite spicy, so depending on the restaurant, I sometimes still find it spicy.

The originator of soup curry – スープカレーの元祖 –

It is believed to be a “medicinal curry” that was first served in 1971 at the coffee shop “Ajanta「アジャンタ」” in Sapporo.

Yakuzen Curry Honpo Ajanta – 薬膳カリィ本舗アジャンタ –

This restaurant specializes in medicinal curry, where the medicinal properties of 30 kinds of spices and 15 kinds of Chinese herbal medicines are incorporated into a soup-like dish. They use ingredients sourced from Hokkaido, aiming for a health-conscious approach based on natural ingredients. They are scheduled to reopen on June 1st, 2026. 2-18, Kita 23-jo Higashi 20-chome, Higashi-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido Yakuzen Curry Honpo Ajanta – 薬膳カリィ本舗アジャンタ – HP

Google Map

It is said that the restaurant “Magic Spice” in Sapporo coined the term “soup curry” in 1993 and was instrumental in sparking a nationwide boom in the dish.

MAGIC SPICE (マジックスパイス)

Sapporo store – 札幌店 –
〒003-0024 6-2, South 8th Street, Hongodori, Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo City Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:00 – 22:00 (Closed from 15:00 – 17:30 *Open all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Tokyo Store – 東京店 –
2-30-14 Daizawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 155-0032 Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:30 – 23:00 (Closed from 15:00 – 17:30 *Open all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Osaka store – 大阪店 –
1-10-20 Inari, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture 556-0023 Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:30 – 23:00 (Last order 22:30) (Closed from 15:00 to 17:30 *Open all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Nagoya store – 名古屋店 –
3-15-13 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 460-0011 Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:30 – 23:00 (Last order 22:30) (Closed from 15:00 to 17:30 *Open all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

May 2026 (Individual research) *Please check the website for details.
MAGICSPICE (マジックスパイス) HP 

(;^ω^) I didn’t have a good impression of soup curry.
I remember having soup curry in school lunches in Japan, and when it comes to soup-based curries, I prefer regular, thick curry.
I recently tried soup curry and it was so delicious that I’ve become interested in trying different kinds of soup curry.
I’d like to introduce the wide variety of soup curries found throughout Japan.

*Prices may vary depending on when you place your order. Please check our website or the store for the latest information.
*This information is based on personal research and may not be entirely accurate.

Soup Curry SHANTi

SHANTi is a soup curry that originated in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and was developed by refining Indian and Nepalese cuisine.
Soup curry restaurant SHANTi will be celebrating its 15th anniversary in Tokyo (as of 2026).
This soup curry restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes, including healthy soups made with care, and tender chicken that falls apart with just a spoon.

You can choose from two types of soup: the original soup and the Saigon soup.

Original soup – オリジナルスープ –
Our original soup is made with a blend of over 20 spices, so you can enjoy the rich flavor of the spices.
This soup curry has a rich broth that pairs well with large pieces of vegetables.
You can choose from over 40 levels of spiciness. (Additional levels of spiciness (+5) incur an extra charge.)

Saigon Soup – サイゴンスープ –
Saigon soup is a clear, smooth, and flavorful soup that becomes more delicious the more you drink it.
The spiciness level is set on a 5-point scale, taking into consideration how well it pairs with the soup. (Additional spiciness levels from +3 onwards incur an extra charge.)

This time, eating soup curry at SHANTi Harajuku Store completely changed my perception of soup curry.
The flavorful spices and ingredients were delicious, so I’d like to try a menu item with different ingredients next time.
There are two locations in Hokkaido and six in Tokyo (based on my personal research as of 2026), so please give it a try if you ever have the chance to eat soup curry.

SHANTi – Two stores in Hokkaido –

SOUPCURRY＆Asian Dining SHANTi 大通店
1st Floor, Asset Planning Building, 2-2, Odori West 7-chome, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0042, Japan Google Map 
Closed on Sundays

SHANTi 昭和お茶の間奈井江店
18-113 Naie, Naie-cho, Sorachi-gun, Hokkaido 060-0042 Google Map 
Closed on: –

SHANTi – 6 stores in Tokyo –

SHANTi 原宿店
2F Honolary Harajuku Building, 3-26-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM – Last order 11:00 PM –
*If there are no customers at the time of last order, we will close at 23:00.
Closed: Open all year round

SHANTi 池袋店
1F, Dai-ni Yajima Building, 5-1-6 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021
2-minute walk from Tokyo Metro C2/C3 exits. Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM – Last order 11:00 PM –
Closed: Open all year round

SHANTi 渋谷店
2-7-4 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0043 Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM – Last order 11:00 PM –
Closed: Open all year round

SHANTi 高田馬場店
1F Nagata Building, 3-29-15 Takada, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0033 Google Map 
Opening hours: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Closed on Sundays

SHANTi 板橋店
102 JT Plaza Kami-Itabashi, 1-25-10 Kami-Itabashi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 171-0033 Google Map 
Closed on: –

Spice Curry SHANTi 大山店
26-1 Oyama-Higashi-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0014, Japan (1F) Google Map 
Closed on: –

May 2026 (Individual research) *Please check the website for details.

Soup Curry Neco

This soup curry specialty restaurant in Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture, offers both table seating and counter seats perfect for solo diners, allowing you to enjoy the flavor of soup curry said to have been learned in Hokkaido.
You can choose from three types of soup: tomato, coconut milk, and Japanese style.
You can choose the ingredients, spiciness level, and toppings to your liking.

How to order

1.Choose a soup
A: Tomato soup, B: Coconut soup, C: Japanese-style soup.

2.Choose your ingredients – Basic vegetables（Carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, okra, broccoli, mizuna）-
Selected ingredients – Price range: ¥750–¥1,900 –
Chicken curry, chicken and vegetable curry, pork curry, pork and vegetable curry, hamburger curry, hamburger and vegetable curry, vegetable curry, natto curry, fried chicken curry, seafood curry, DX curry, kids curry, kids curry with ice cream.

3.Choose your spice level – basic：0（1～30）-
Items 11-20 incur an additional charge of ¥20.For items 21-30, there is an additional charge of ¥30.

4.Whether or not to add toppings – You can also change the type and amount of rice. –
Toppings can be selected from food items costing +¥200, +¥300, or +¥500.
You can choose between regular rice or ancient grain rice.
Additional portions are available for an extra charge. You can also add extra soup, and choose to omit rice.

What I ordered was…

1.A：Tomato soup

2.Natto Curry – 納豆カリー –
– Natto, chopped okra, frankfurter sausage, boiled egg, basic vegetables, and rice included. – ￥1,350

3.I chose “0” for the spiciness level.

4.The topping is “Fried chicken (2 pieces) – ¥300” Regular portion of rice: ¥0

Total: ¥1650 (tax included)

Since I was passing through Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture this time, I wanted to eat tomato-based soup curry.I ate at “Soup Curry Neco” and was very satisfied.
(*’ω’*) Next time, I think I’ll try a soup curry with a different soup base and ingredients.

May 2026 (Individual research) *Please check the website for details.

Soup Curry 心 – cocoro –

I’m a little late in posting this, but I ate at “Soup Curry 心 – cocoro -” around mid-March 2025.

One of the pioneering stores – 先駆者的店舗の一つ –

This restaurant established the now-popular classic tomato-based broth soup using “burnt basil.”

This is one of the restaurants that reminded me of how delicious soup curry can be.
It was lunchtime, and I happened to eat at the “Saitama Shintoshin branch” located in Keyaki Hiroba, in front of the west exit of Saitama Shintoshin Station.
It’s a popular shop.

Japanese food sample displays are amazing!
Even though I’m trying soup curry at a restaurant for the first time in 2025, I might not have been inclined to eat it just from the menu description of the soup and ingredients.
Before I knew it, I had chosen the one with my favorite hamburger patty, but next time I’d like to try a different filling.

I stopped by alone and ordered from the lunch-only menu, but there were some aspects that were difficult to understand, such as how to order the soup, ingredients, and spiciness level.
There’s a video on the official website of “Soup Curry 心 -cocoro-,” so I’ll include the link for your reference.

How to enjoy soup curry in Sapporo, Hokkaido – 北海道札幌のスープカレーの楽しみ方 –

Sapporo Main Store
〒001-0015 City Heim N15, Kita 15-jo Nishi 4-chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido Google Map 
Business hours: 11:30 AM – 10:00 PM (or until sold out)

Akihabara Store
1st Floor, APA Hotel Akihabara Ekimae Electric Town Exit, 3-11-4 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Google Map 
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM – Last Order 9:30 PM –

Nishi-Shinjuku Store
Shinjuku Sumitomo Building B1F, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Google Map 
Business Hours: Weekdays 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM – Last Order 9:00 PM
Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM – Last order 8:30 PM –

Shimokitazawa store
1F, KM Building, 2-34-8 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Google Map 
営業：11:00～22:00 – LO 21:30 –

Saitama Shintoshin Store – さいたま新都心店 –
10 Shintoshin, Chuo-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture Keyaki Hiroba 1F Google Map 
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM – Last Order 10:00 PM –

May 2026 (Individual research) *Please check the website for details.

Curry House CoCo Ichibanya -カレーハウスCoCo壱番屋 –

CoCo Ichibanya is one of the world’s largest curry specialty restaurant chains, with over 1,200 locations in Japan and overseas. (Based on personal research in 2026)
The biggest feature is that you can customize your curry to your liking by freely combining the amount of rice, the level of spiciness, and the wide variety of toppings, which makes me want to go there on a whim.

Our stores offer limited-edition, original menus developed using local ingredients.

Curry House CoCo Ichibanya Nishi-ku Hassamu branch limited menu

516-149, Hassamu 8-jo 14-chome, Nishi-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido
Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, Hassamu branch, Nishi-ku – 西区発寒店 – Google Map

Referenced from the official website of Curry House CoCo Ichibanya.

Seaweed Soup Curry – 磯海苔スープカレー –

1,046 yen (1,150 yen including tax)
This dish features a combination of rich seaweed flavor and spicy soup, but since it’s not a regular menu item available nationwide, its availability varies by store.
Some stores may not carry this item. Actual presentation may differ from the image shown. Product contents and information are subject to change without notice. (Information compiled by an individual in May 2026)

This post is about soup curry, and I’ve referenced the Hassamu branch in Nishi-ku, which sells soup curry for a limited time at “CoCo Ichibanya (CoCo Ichi).” However, please note that product details and information may change without notice, so please check the “CoCo Ichibanya (CoCo Ichi)” website for the latest information.

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I live in Saitama Prefecture in the Kanto region, so my recommendations will be biased towards that area. However, I’d like to feature a wide variety of options, including chain restaurants that offer seasonal soup curry, as they can be visually appealing.
There’s still so much more to introduce, but I’ll be sharing it gradually, so please be patient.