Image: Wikimedia Commons
Niigata Tarekatsu-don is a rice bowl that originated in Niigata City, made by dipping thin, freshly fried pork cutlets in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce and placing them on rice. Unlike the katsudon common throughout Japan, which is simmered with egg, it has a simple preparation finished only with the flavor of the sauce, without egg. It is said to have been devised in the early Showa period by Komatsu Michitaro (小松道太郎), the first owner of Tonkatsu Taro (とんかつ太郎), one of the food stalls that lined the canals in central Niigata City. When he dipped cutlets — then a modern Western-style dish — in soy-based sauce and served them on rice, the dish became a great hit. It is common to place several thin cutlets on top, and the sweet and savory sauce soaks nicely into the rice. At Tonkatsu Taro, the originating restaurant, the dish is still listed simply as 'katsudon.' The name 'Tarekatsu-don' was coined and popularized around 1990 by the second-generation owner of Tonkatsu Masachan (とんかつ政ちゃん). Today, centered on Niigata City, it is a standard menu item at tonkatsu restaurants and eateries throughout the prefecture.
Origin
Its origins date back to the early Showa period. At that time, central Niigata City was crisscrossed by canals large and small, and all kinds of food stalls lined their banks. It is said to have begun when Komatsu Michitaro, the first owner of one of those stalls, Tonkatsu Taro, dipped cutlets in soy-based sauce and placed them on rice. The dish was embraced by the people of Niigata and took root as a local standard.
History
Takahashi Masamitsu (高橋正光), who trained at Tonkatsu Taro, opened Tonkatsu Masachan in Nuttari, Niigata City, in 1965 (Showa 40). Masachan has preserved the soy-based sauce it has replenished continuously since its founding and is known as a renowned tarekatsu-don restaurant. Around 1990, the second-generation owner, Takahashi Masahiro (高橋正広), coined the name 'Tarekatsu-don' and promoted it through the media. This led to the dish becoming widely known as a local specialty representing Niigata.
Features
The basic style is to make the cutlets thin and place several of them on rice. Freshly fried cutlets are dipped in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce and are not simmered with egg or dashi. Some restaurants also offer a two-layer version with cutlets sandwiched in the rice as well. At Tonkatsu Taro, lean domestic pork thigh is coated in fine breadcrumbs and fried in lard. The sauce each restaurant preserves by continuously replenishing it gives each one its own distinctive flavor.
Main Ingredients
Famous Shops
とんかつ太郎 古町本店
新潟県新潟市中央区古町通6番町973
The birthplace of tarekatsu-don, which began as a food stall in the early Showa period. You can enjoy cutlets of domestic pork thigh with a secret soy-based sauce that has been continuously replenished since the Showa 30s (1955-1964). Katsudon starts at around 1,400 yen.
View details →とんかつ政ちゃん 沼垂本店
新潟県新潟市中央区沼垂東5-12-1
Opened in 1965 by its first owner, who trained at Tonkatsu Taro. Its hallmarks are a continuously replenished soy-based sauce and cutlets made thin enough to balance the savory flavors of both the meat and the sauce. Set meals combining it with local dishes such as Noppe are also available.
View details →とんかつ かつ一 白根店
新潟県新潟市南区茨曽根2897
A tonkatsu restaurant committed to Niigata ingredients such as Agakita Pork, salt from Sasagawa Nagare, and Niigata-grown Koshihikari rice. It has been introduced as the only restaurant in Niigata Prefecture selected for Tabelog's 'Tonkatsu Hyakumeiten 2022' (Top 100 Tonkatsu Restaurants), and its signature tarekatsu-don is popular.
| Niigata Katsudon Sauce (Tonkatsu Masachan) | A sauce for home use sold by Tonkatsu Masachan, priced at around 480 yen. Simply dip fried cutlets in it and place them on rice to recreate Niigata-style tarekatsu-don at home. |
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FAQ
Q. Isn't Niigata's katsudon simmered with egg?
A. Tarekatsu-don in and around Niigata City is made simply by dipping fried cutlets in soy-based sauce and placing them on rice, without egg. The originating restaurant, Tonkatsu Taro, calls it simply 'katsudon,' and this style is the standard locally.