10 Best Japanese Curry Brands 2022 You Have To Try!

Want to recreate authentic Japanese curry at home without the hassle of making it from scratch? Here are the best Japanese curry brands for you to choose from! 

Hot Japanese curry over some warm rice or noodles is my comfort food. It’s filling, satisfying, and absolutely delicious!

It’s also super quick and easy to make with these amazing Japanese curry brands offering authentic and flavorful curry roux! 

I love the fact that it has such gentle, complex flavors. It’s not too spicy or hot and neither too sweet. A good Japanese curry roux has a well-balanced flavor with thick and smooth texture.

Japanese Curry Brands: Quick Glance

Best Japanese Curry Brands	Best For
S&B	Golden Curry
	Tasty Curry Sauce Mix
House Foods	Java Curry
	Kokumaro Curry
	Vermont Curry
Glico	Zeppin
IPPINKA Hachi	Curry Sauce with Vegetables
CoCo Ichibanya	Pork Curry

I’ve tested several Japanese curry brands and made a list of the best ones! 

Which is the best Japanese curry brand?

I tested several Japanese curry brands to find the best one. Based on parameters like flavor, texture, ingredients, shelf life, and availability, I found that House Foods is the best Japanese curry brand offering some of the best Japanese curry roux: 

House Foods is the best Japanese curry brand. The best curry mix offered by this brand is the House Foods Kokumaru curry. It has a medium-yellow color with a smooth and thick texture. It has a sweet and spicy flavor with hints of toasted onion and clove. Well-rounded and rich in flavor, this Japanese curry roux has a smooth and creamy texture. It is available on Amazon for $49.93 for a pack of 10. 

Which Is The Best Japanese Curry Brands

Kokumaro Japanese Curry

Kokumaro is one of my favorite Japanese curry Roux. It has a nice thick but smooth texture which I absolutely love. And it has a lovely yellow-brown color.

It has a pretty balanced flavor but tipping very slightly towards sweetish flavors. But still, the rich flavors really come together with a nice onion flavoring.

Kokumaro is a smooth and creamy Japanese roux that you will love. Flavors aren’t too strong but rather well-rounded and tastes amazing.

Spice rating 1/3

Premium Japanese Curry Roux By Glico

This Japanese curry roux is perfect for you if you like pasty, chunky Japanese curry. It has a rick dark brown color with yellow oil.

The flavor of this Japanese curry roux by Glico is INTENSE! It has a rich, intense umami flavor. If you love umami flavors, you’ll instantly love this Japanese curry roux. The actually curry flavor is not as intense but you’ll taste it.

I’m not a fan of pasty, chunky texture when it comes to Japanese curry. But if that’s something you like, go for this Japanese curry roux. Other than that, the meaty flavor of the Premium Japanese curry roux is pretty impressive!

Spice rating: 2/3

S&B Golden Curry 

The first one on this list of best Japanese curry brands is S&B. It’s a very popular curry brand in Japan. The Golden curry flavor offered by S&B is one of the most popular curry bricks in Japanese convenience stores. 

It has a light golden color and a lumpy texture. If you like cumin and ginger flavors, you’ll love this curry brick as it has a very traditional curry flavor. It is a pretty spicy Japanese curry mix and has dry heat. 

The instructions on the packet call for a LOT of onions which, in my opinion, ruin the flavor of the curry. Instead, tweak the onion content a bit and you should have a delicious Japanese curry to go with your rice!

Spice rating: 3/3

Related: You have to get these kitchen goods from Japan! Check it out!

S&B Tasty Curry Sauce Mix

Here’s another curry flavor from one of the best Japanese curry brands, S&B – the Tasty curry sauce mix. It has a lighter golden color than the S&B Golden Curry. The texture is quite thin and has more of a soup-like consistency.

Honestly, I wouldn’t say this is my favorite curry mix because it’s pretty watery and not the best option to have along with rice. Though, I don’t mind drinking it like soup but we’re talking about curry here. 

The flavors aren’t too complex. It has a more sweet and spicy flavor profile. The sweetness first hits you and then a slight punch of spice develops right after. It isn’t particularly hot either but the heat will linger for a while. 

This curry brick wouldn’t be my first choice but I know of people who love it for its simple, watery texture as well. 

Spice rating: 2/3

House Foods Java Curry

The next on this list of best Japanese curry brands is House Foods. A very popular brand in Japan, I must say. My favorite curry brick from the brand is the Java curry. 

It has a deep reddish brown color and smooth texture. Though the texture is fairly smooth, the curry is a bit gelatinous which is actually great. I love this curry brick for its exploding flavors. It has a rich, full, deep flavor. It’s a bit sweet and fruity.

It has a strong flavor of bouillon which is balanced by a bit of sourness. Overall, this curry brick is the perfect balance between spice and meaty flavors along with some unique, tropical notes. 

Spice rating: 2/3

House Foods Kokumaro Curry

Here’s another Japanese curry roux from one of the best Japanese curry brands, House Foods – Kokumaru curry. 

What I love about Kokumaro curry is its texture. It has a smooth and thick texture that goes amazingly with rice. It has a medium yellow-brown color. It has a roasted onion flavor and you’ll notice some clove flavor as well. It goes without saying, it’s a bit on the sweet side of curries. But nevertheless, the overall flavor is well-rounded and rich. 

It’s not too overwhelming and tastes great with a smooth and creamy texture!

Spice rating: 1/3

House Foods Vermont Curry

House Foods isn’t simply considered one of the best Japanese curry brands. It offers some of the best curry bricks, just like the Vermost curry. 

The texture of Vermont curry by House foods is pretty thick and smooth. It has a nice medium yellow-brown color. I wouldn’t say it’s too spicy though it does have a light, spicy tail that lingers. Other than that, the flavor is well rounded with some fruity and sweet notes. 

This is a light and sweet-ish option with well-balanced spice!

Spice rating: 1/3

Glico Zeppin 

The next one on this list of best Japanese curry brands is Glico. My favorite Japanese curry mix from this brand is the Zeppin mix. It has a very thick texture but is still smooth. Just give it a good stir and you’ll have thick, smooth curry. 

The flavor on this one is pretty complex. An intense mix of ginger, clove, and cinnamon give it a sweet, fruity, and slightly spicy flavor profile. This flavor, though, is not something the Ammericans might be used to as it’s pretty intense. 

Spice rating: 2/3

IPPINKA Hachi Curry Sauce with Vegetables

The next one of this list of best Japanese curry brands is Ippinka Hachi. My go-to Japanese curry roux from this brand is Curry Sauce with Vegetables. It has a well-balanced, deep and rich flavor with spices, veggies, and meat. 

It has a decent spice level but not too hot. It contains potatoes, carrots, and green beans. It doesn’t contain any meat or meat-derived ingredients, something my vegan friends will appreciate, I’m sure. 

Spice rating: 1/3

CoCo Ichibanya Pork Curry

CoCO Ichibanya is the next curry brand in this list of best Japanese curry brands. My go-to from this brand is Pork Curry. Pork is not something I usually crave for but once in a while when I do this the Japanese curry mix I opt for. 

If you’re a fan of pork flavors, you’ll love this pork curry for its delicious aroma. The spice levels on this curry aren’t too crazy but it does have a slightly hot tail with a bit of a sweet kick, to begin with. Very rich and creamy, it’s definitely a Japanese curry roux, you should try!

Spice rating: 1/3

Japanese Curry Roux: FAQs

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