B-Kyu Gurume: The Best Of Cheap Japanese Comfort Food

Japanese food isn’t all sushi, ramen and wagyu!

Food is a major part of Japanese culture. Even on dating apps, you’re more likely to find profiles seeking a drinking buddy or a スイーツ巡り(sweets meguri; “sweets tour”) partner than anything else. If food is the way to the Japanese heart, then B-kyu gurume is the comfort food that everyone should know and love.

What Is B-Kyu Gurume?

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B級グルメ (B-kyu gurume) literally means “B rank food”. It refers to cuisines that are popular with the masses, made with less ‘fancy’ ingredients. They are often quickly and easily served and eaten. Most B-kyu gurume can easily be replicated at home, so it’s also got the added home cooking, “made with love” factor to it as well.

These Japanese comfort foods are also known as ご当地グルメ (gotochi gurume)—or “local dishes”—because they feature local ingredients. What counts as B-kyu gurume in Osaka is completely different from what is comfort food in Sapporo. Even within a given city, there can be vastly different ideas of soul food depending on the area’s history.

If you’re looking for healthy Japanese fare, B-kyu gurume is probably not going to work for you. However, if you’re looking for something different for a treat, then it’s sure to hit the spot. Just be aware of any potential food allergies, as hidden ingredients can sometimes be unexpected.

Basically, B-kyu gurume is the gourmand’s equivalent of your family’s secret recipe handed down for generations. It’s often made with full-fat and sugar, but available for a cheap price and made to order.

Japanese vs Internationally Influenced

As with food cultures around the world, there are both those that are domestic and those that grew from international influences. B-kyu gurume offers a mix of classically Japanese dishes and “Japanified” foreign varieties.

The Japanese-Style Classics

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One of the oldest and most well-known Japanese B-kyu gurume is おにぎり (onigiri; “rice balls”). These glutinous delights tend to be topped or filled with anything from flaked salmon, wasabi greens, soft-boiled eggs or pickled plums. They may be wrapped with a sheet of roasted nori seaweed as well. There are shelves of these in every supermarket, convenience store and even take-out bento shops in Japan—that’s how common they are.

Another rice-based comfort food is 卵かけごはん (tamago kake gohan). Basically, you crack a raw egg over some plain white rice and add a dash or two of soy sauce for flavor. That’s it. Of course, you can liven it up with some furikake seasoning, too, or purchase gourmet eggs specially bred for their tastiness (or whatever the technical term may be!), but even the most basic of ingredients will give you classic Japanese comfort food.

International Twists

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Two international dishes, according to my friends, are considered must-have foodstuffs: curry rice and spaghetti Napolitano.

Curry rice is typically made with Japanese curry roux (prepared with beef or pork, potatoes, carrots and onions), accompanied by rice (white, turmeric-seasoned, or with garlic and butter). It can also be topped with a slab of とんかつ (tonkatsu; “pork cutlet”) or 牛カツ (gyukatsu; “beef cutlet”). It’s not spicy at all, very hearty and something that most Japanese people eat at least once a week.

Spaghetti Napolitan was invented in Yokohama by Chef Shigetada Irie of Hotel New Grand during the postwar period. It consists of well-cooked pasta (no al dente here), with a sauce made from onions, green peppers, bacon or ham and… ketchup. Yes, the sauce is made almost entirely from Japanese ketchup (some add tomato paste to thicken it). You can also add a dash of Tabasco sauce to liven it up, but otherwise, it’s a very kid-friendly comfort food.

Where Can I Find B-Kyu Gurume?

Another one of the perks of B-kyu gurume is that it is everywhere. Technically speaking, you can find it in your closest convenience store or supermarket. If you’re looking to try something different, then take a look at Uber Eats or your preferred food delivery app for B-kyu gurume in your area.

You can also look at B-Lunch, a popular blog run by a Japanese foodie that focuses on B-kyu gurume lunch spots around the country.

The B-1 Grand Prix is a food festival and contest held across Japan where local cuisines compete to be that year’s top comfort food. Some winners of that competition later go on to have their products turned into limited-edition foods sold in convenience stores and supermarkets as well.

Mini versions of these festivals or celebrations of their wins are also often held in parking areas. Heading out on a road trip might just reveal the best comfort foods your region or destination has to offer.

Must-Try Japanese Comfort Food

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Here’s a list of classic Japanese comfort food that you have to try at least once in your life (some we’ve already mentioned):

• Tonkatsu: Deep-fried pork cutlet eaten with shredded cabbage.
• Katsu Curry: Curry rice topped with a crunchy tonkatsu cutlet.
• Naporitan: The retro Japanese spaghetti with ketchup-based sauce, sausage, onions and peppers.
• Yakisoba: Wok-fried noodles with pork, cabbage and sweet-savory sauce.
• Karaage: Japanese fried chicken with a garlic, ginger and soy marinade.
• Korokke: Potato-and-meat croquettes with panko crust, eaten with tonkatsu sauce.
• Hambāgu (Hamburg Steak): Soft ground beef patty with demi-glace or wafu (Japanese-style) sauce.
• Tachigui Soba/Udon: Cheap, fast “stand-and-eat” noodles, usually found in stations.
• Omurice: Ketchup fried rice wrapped in a fluffy omelette, topped with demi-glace or ketchup.
• Horumon-yaki: Grilled offal (intestines) barbecue.
• Kaki-furai: Deep-fried oysters.

As mentioned earlier, regions throughout Japan have their own unique versions of comfort foods too. While many of them are available nationwide these days, you are guaranteed to have the best and most authentic version of it in each of their originating regions:

• Okonomiyaki (Osaka/Hiroshima): Savory cabbage pancake loaded with pork, seafood, noodles (Hiroshima-style) and sweet-salty sauce.
• Takoyaki (Osaka): Crispy–soft octopus balls drizzled with mayo, sauce and bonito flakes.
• Ika-yaki (Osaka): Grilled whole squid glazed in soy sauce.
• Monjayaki (Tokyo): A runnier cousin of okonomiyaki, cooked on a griddle and eaten right off the spatula.
• Gyoza (Utsunomiya): Pan-fried crispy dumplings with a juicy meat filling.
• Motsunabe (Fukuoka): Offal nabe (hot pot) with cabbage, chives and soy-miso broth.
• Buta-don (Hokkaido): Char-grilled pork slices over rice, sweet-savory and smoky.
• Zangi (Hokkaido): Hokkaido-style karaage with a punchier seasoning.

Special Mentions

If you’ve already tried the dishes mentioned above, I highly recommend two others I personally like. Full disclosure, though, these are definitely high-calorie, high-carb meals in the making.

Fujinomiya Yakisoba

Fujinomiya yakisoba (富士宮やきそば) originates from Fujinomiya in Shizuoka Prefecture and is regarded by many as a local success story. Three-time winner of the B-1 Grand Prix, Fujinomiya yakisoba is responsible for the tourism renaissance that its hometown underwent. Now, there’s even a Fujinomiya Yakisoba Society that promotes authentic versions of this dish around Japan.

While yakisoba itself is a B-kyu gurume, what sets Fujinomiya yakisoba apart is that the yakisoba noodles, cabbage and meat are then topped with sardine powder (as opposed to straight-up bonito flakes), sauce and pickled ginger. The noodles are also made with less water, resulting in a firmer texture than other types.

Sanuki Udon Burger

The second dish is one that carb-lovers will really enjoy. The Sanuki udon burger (讃岐うどんバーガー) originates from Kagawa Prefecture, the smallest prefecture in Japan. Kagawa is also aptly nicknamed the ‘udon prefecture’ as it’s home to Sanuki udon. Several hundred udon shops, each with their own take on this classic dish.

Udon noodles are thick and very filling on their own, but when fried and piled high on a burger (with or without a patty or two), they become a delicious yet unhealthy regional delight. There are many varieties of Sanuki udon burgers available. Personally, I find the best one to be without a patty and topped with a fried egg. Then you can really enjoy the taste of the noodles and sauce.

If you’re looking for ways to help your local businesses and change up your at-home dining menu, why not check out the regional cuisines in your area? And, if you’re suddenly craving comfort foods from back home, here are the best pizza, burger and Chinese food places you can find in Tokyo instead.

Is there a particular Japanese comfort food that you’ve fallen in love with in Japan?