Did you know Yokosuka is known as Curry town? When you go to JR Yokosuka Station, you see Yokosuka curry image character, Seagull is holding Curry and Rice.

The Yokosuka curry festival is held from 2012.5.12 to 5.13 in the Yokosuka Mikasa park.

Date: 5.12.2012 （Sat） to 5.13 （Sun）
Time: 9:00～16:00
 
**Festival will remain open in light rain, but will close if rain is heavy.

Thank you for this information.  I love Japanese curry.

The last day of the festival is today. Try it guys till 1600. They got a lot of good food and curry varieties than your usual Cocos curry ichibanya though I am a big fan of Cocos but it is nice to try something different sometimes. They got curry bread and a lot of other stuff. The price is also very cheap.

Yokosuka City curry festival celebrates Japan’s spicy side
By MC2(SW/AW) John Smolinski,
CFAY Public Affairs and Barbara Smolinski, Seahawk contributor


A juggler entertains a crowd of people at the 2012 Yokosuka Curry Festival in Mikasa Park May 12-13. The annual festival showcases curry dishes from around the Yokosuka area and the tradition of the dish in the Japanese Navy.
U.S. Navy photo by MC2(SW/AW) John Smolinski

A short walk from Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka Womble Gate, Mikasa Park is home to the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Mikasa, and the site of the annual Yokosuka Curry Festival.

The two-day festival held in May features the spicy dish that is one of Japan’s most popular meals. For the past 13 years, thousands of people have come from all over the area to showcase and sample the many flavors of curry.

The aroma of grilled meat and spices filled the air enticing people to come partake in the fare. People eagerly stood in lines waiting to try the many curry dishes.
Along the sea wall of Mikasa Park, tents were set up with 12 different curry vendors representing their dishes. A sample plate was offered for 500 yen ($6) that included rice and choice of four different curries; each possessing their own unique taste, texture and color.
“I was impressed that curry could be made so many different ways,” said Tonya Thomas, a festival participant. “All of them had different flavors. One was floral, one was sweet and one reminded me of chicken and dumplings.”

Tables were set up with a view of the historic Japanese battleship Mikasa.
The battleship, Mikasa, was purchased from the British and was commissioned in 1902. The ship served as the flagship of Admiral Togo Heihachiro. During that time, the British Navy introduced curry to the Japanese Navy. Curry is a dish that is easily made in large quantities and serves as the perfect food while out to sea.
“Yokosuka City has its own recipe called Navy Curry or Kaigun Curry,” said Kumiko Skomurski, a Yokosuka-native festival participant. “It’s very popular, and curry is still served every Friday at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.”

Curry is a word that is synonymous with soup or stew. Japanese Curry is thick and hearty. It is most often served with rice, but also noodles and nan bread. The curry sauce or “roux” consists of a mixture of turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom, oil and flour, although it’s popular to use a premade sauce that is widely available. The other ingredients vary by cook, from vegetables such as potatoes and carrots to meats such as beef and pork.

Day two of the festival, the sun pounded down on Mikasa Park, and thousands of people came to enjoy the food, fun and wonderful weather. The food lines wound around the park as people waited patiently for the various dishes. Shaded from the sun in their tents, vendors sold other curry items such as curry cookies, curry bread, curry seaweed and even curry chocolate.

Along with plates of food, festival participants viewed performances by jugglers, singers and magicians.
The Yokosuka Society of Commerce and Industry and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sponsored this year’s Yokosuka City Curry Festival.

“I am thankful for events like this so close to home and the opportunities to enjoy local festivals like this one,” said Thomas.

For more information on upcoming events or more information in English about the restaurants, stores and other places of interest in Yokosuka, check out Yokosuka-Ichiban’s website at http://www.sukaichi-e.com.