Hanshin Spice Curry Expo 2026
Spice curry has grown out of Osaka’s free-thinking food culture into a style that now reaches across Japan. From August 19 to 24, 2026, 15 famous spice curry shops from Kansai, Hokkaido, Okinawa, and Tokyo will gather at the Shokusai Terrace on the 1st floor of the Hanshin Umeda Main Store. The event offers a rare chance to sample regional curry approaches in one place, without traveling beyond Umeda.
Takashi Matsumura, editor-in-chief of IN/SECTS, serves as the event’s super presenter. Known for local-culture publications such as How to Make Kansai Spice Curry, he is well suited to an expo that emphasizes regional character and the wide range of spice curry interpretations now thriving across the country.
What makes this expo special
The main draw is the rotation. Shops from four different areas will be completely swapped out every two days, which means visitors on different days will encounter entirely different lineups. That creates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste a broad spectrum of spice curry styles within a single event, from Kansai staples to shops based as far away as Hokkaido and Okinawa.
For anyone caught up in the recent spice curry making boom, the expo will also feature beginner-friendly spice kits and recipe books. These make it easy to recreate the experience at home and keep experimenting long after the event ends. Whether you are there to eat on the spot or to stock up for your own kitchen, the expo is designed for a deep spice life.
Curries and spice kits from each shop will be available until they are sold out.
Event details
- Event Period: 2026/8/19 (Wed) – 24 (Mon)
- Event Time: 10:00 – 20:00
- Event Location: Hanshin Umeda Main Store 1st Floor, Shokusai Terrace (1-13-13 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City)
- Fee: Free Admission
- Website: https://web.hh-online.jp/hanshin/contents/str/20260819.html
What are Japan’s regional curries?
Japan’s regional curries are local versions of Japanese curry, adapted to the ingredients, climate, and eating habits of their home areas. Standard Japanese curry is a thick stew made from a roux of flour, fat, and curry powder, usually served with rice. Regional varieties keep that base but change the broth, toppings, or side dishes.
In Hokkaido, soup curry replaces the thick roux with a lighter broth. It is served in a bowl with large vegetables and often a whole chicken leg, and is eaten with a spoon rather than poured over rice. In Yokohama, navy curry comes from a recipe served on Imperial Navy vessels. It uses a rich roux and a spice-heavy mix, and is traditionally accompanied by pickles.
Nagoya has a sweet-savory style known as koko curry, sometimes made with local miso and served with a breaded pork cutlet. Kanazawa curry is a dark, thick variety with a pronounced spice heat. It is normally served with tonkatsu, shredded cabbage, and a roux dark enough to coat each piece of meat.
Other regional versions use local seafood and produce. Hiroshima curry includes oysters from nearby waters. Kōchi adds shijimi clams. Fukuoka serves curry as a broth over udon noodles. Okinawa’s taco rice, developed under American military influence, replaces the usual curry-and-rice bowl with seasoned ground beef over rice, topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
These versions differ in preparation and ingredients, but they are all sold as regional specialities. The Hanshin Spice Curry Expo 2026 in Osaka will bring a selection of them together in one venue, allowing visitors to compare the styles without traveling between prefectures.
