"Curry in Morioka!" (Part 2) 3 Spicy, Authentic Indian Curry Restaurants Popular with Locals! [Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture]

We will introduce three recommended popular restaurants serving "authentic Indian curry," which is a little different from the Japanese-style "curry" introduced in the first part, and is spicier than other types

Please note that the prices in this article are current as of early December 2025

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What is the difference between Japanese curry and Indian curry?

Both are called "Curry" in English, but only in Japan is it pronounced "curry"; in English-speaking countries such as Europe, the United States, and India, it is pronounced "curry."

Japanese curry, which was introduced from England, is made by simmering meat and vegetables in a spice blend called "curry powder," and then pouring the resulting roux, thickened with flour, over rice.The emphasis is not just on the flavor of the spices, but also on the umami

In contrast, I believe that "Indian curry" is a dish that allows you to enjoy the unique flavor of spices, and is different from Japanese-style curry

Japanese-style curry is either poured over rice from the start, or the curry sauce is served in a curry pot and then poured over the rice and eaten with a spoon

Indian curry is served in a stainless steel dish called a "thali" and is eaten by hand, wrapped in naan or poori (fried bread) made from wheat flour

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Chikyuya Honmachi Store (Honmachi-dori 1-chome)

Located on the second floor of a building on a back street of the city's Uchimaru Medical Center (formerly Iwate Medical University Hospital), the restaurant is popular for its Indian curry seasoned to suit Japanese tastes

Unlike the Indian and Nepalese restaurants that are common these days, this restaurant has a relaxed ethnic atmosphere that makes it easy for women to enter alone, making it ideal for girls' get-togethers

Chikyuya has two branches, this Honmachi branch and the newly opened Odate branch, each run by a husband and wife

The Honmachi store is run by his wife, and for the time being it is only open for lunch

Lunch set with a choice of three curries (1,200 yen)

The lunch set comes with three types of curry: butter chicken curry, keema curry, and daily curry. On the day we visited, the daily curry was spinach and chicken

The lunch set comes with a delicious and fragrant papadum salad topped with crushed papadum, a crispy baked bean and rice flour, and chai

The chai has just the right amount of sweetness and a rich milk flavor that helps to neutralize the spiciness of the curry that lingers in your mouth

Butter chicken curry (slightly spicy)

When you put it in your mouth, you can taste the richness and sweetness of the butter, then the sourness of the tomato spreads, and then the spiciness comes on

The chicken has a strong flavor, and the sauce is thickened by simmering and breaking down the vegetables, and the sweetness is probably due to those vegetables

Keema curry (slightly spicy)

It's refreshing, yet brings out the delicious flavor of the minced meat, and the flavors of spices and ginger fill your mouth

Naan and turmeric rice

The naan is lightly coated with oil after baking, so it has a refreshing taste, and is less sweet than other Indian curry restaurants, with a strong wheat flavor

The bright yellow and fragrant turmeric rice goes perfectly with curry, and is so delicious you'll want to order both the rice and the naan

You can have refills for an additional fee, so if you add something different to what you had initially, you can enjoy both

Chikyuya Honmachi Store <Information>

• Store name: Chikyuya Honmachi store
• Address: Ten Road Building 201, 1-17-27 Honmachidori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-681-4277
• Business hours: Tuesday to Friday 11:30 to 15:00
• Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays
• URL: Chikyuya official website

Google Map

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Darjeeling (Odori 1-chome)

In addition to the curry, which uses authentic spices imported from India and ingredients from Iwate, the tandoori chicken and naan are also very popular

Located on the second floor of a building facing Odori Street, a small elevator that can only fit two people is directly connected to the store entrance

Lunch set (990 yen)

The lunch set comes with nine types of curry: chicken, butter chicken, dal (beans), vegetable, mutton, shrimp, pork, spinach, and keema

From the menu, I chose the standard chicken curry, choosing the medium spicy level from the five options available

The curry is a light South Indian style, but the spices are rather subdued, bringing out the flavor of the generous amount of chicken

I decided to pair it with rice instead of naan, and the slightly soft white rice (Japanese rice) soaked up the smooth curry well, making it delicious

The set also comes with salad and a drink such as lassi or chai

Ladies' set (1,150 yen)

My companion ordered the ladies' set (with salad and drink) which included tandoori chicken, and chose the medium spicy eggplant keema

The keema really brings out the flavor of the minced meat, and although it is spicy, like other curries it seems to have been adapted to suit Japanese tastes

The large, freshly baked naan has a sweet taste and is generously coated with oil that appears to be ghee, and its fragrant aroma is sure to whet your appetite

The fragrantly grilled tandoori chicken was delicious, with the spices used to season it bringing out the flavor of the chicken

Delicious spicy hot chai

The sweetener (sugar) is served separately, so you can enjoy the aroma of tea and the flavor of spices in plain tea

The spice flavor is mild, but it brings out the flavor of the tea, and if you add plenty of sugar to sweeten it, it can be as satisfying as a dessert after a meal

Darjeeling ＜Information＞

• Store name: Indian Restaurant Darjeeling
• Address: Chisuga Building 2F, 1-9-1 Odori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-625-0560
• Business hours: 11:00-15:30, 17:00-23:00
• Closed: Irregular holidays
• URL: Darjeeling official website

Google Map

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Himalayan Wind (Chuodori 1-chome)

All of the staff appear to be Nepalese, but the hall staff are fluent in Japanese, so you won't have any problems ordering, so don't worry

Inside the store, staff are talking to each other in what appears to be Nepali, and Nepali pop songs are playing in the background, giving the place a very exotic atmosphere

In addition to the authentic curries, the Indian-style rice dish "Biryani," made with long-grain basmati rice, is also a delicious dish that you should try at least once

Double curry set & cheese naan set (both 1,280 yen)

Both sets come with salad and a drink such as chai or lassi

There are 11 types of curry available, and you can choose two of them for the double curry set, or one type for the cheese naan set

This time I chose the following three types, all of which were medium spicy on a five-level scale

• Mutton: The strong acidity brings out the distinctive flavor of mutton
• Spinach and shrimp: The sweetness of the spinach and shrimp goes well together, and the ginger adds a nice touch
• Butter Chicken: The richness of the butter and the sweetness of the chicken enhance the flavor

Sticky rice and a huge naan that spills out of the plate

In areas from northern India to Nepal, curry is made with steamed glutinous rice, and Nepalese people in particular eat glutinous rice on a daily basis

The large naan has a subtle sweetness that is just right to go with the spicy curry

The cheese naan I ordered this time was filled with so much cheese that it was very satisfying

"Momo" - Nepalese dumplings with delicious chewy skin

Nepalese dumplings are shaped like xiaolongbao and have a thick, chewy skin.We tried steamed dumplings with both regular skin and skin made with spinach

It contains a wide variety of chopped vegetables and spices, giving it a complex flavor that is highly recommended

Mango lassi and spicy chai

The mango lassi is thick like nectar and made with plenty of mango

Chai, which contains sugar separately, has the effect of softening the spiciness of curry spices, and is delicious with or without sugar

Himalayan Wind <Information>

• Store name: Himalayan Wind [Indian curry & Nepalese gyoza specialty store]
• Address: Sato Building 1F, 1-6-26 Chuo-dori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-681-8037
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-15:00, 17:00-22:30
• Closed: Monday
• URL: Himalayan Wind Official Instagram

Google Map

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summary

In addition to the three introduced in this article, many other curry specialty restaurants have recently opened in Morioka City

Curry is a dish that produces a wide variety of flavors by combining a variety of spices and extracting the flavors from the base meat and vegetables

I would like to continue trying more curry dishes in Morioka City and report back on my recommended flavors

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