4 Reasons To Eat Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (Jieitai) Curry in Sasebo|佐世保の自衛隊カレーを食べるべき４つの理由【Sasebo Jieitai Gourmet Curry|させぼ自衛隊グルメ】

If you ever get the chance to visit or live in the navy city of Sasebo, do try some Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Curry, known as Jieitai Curry! Local restaurants in Sasebo teamed up with 25 ships or squads from the Maritime Self-Defense Force, Maritime Safety Agency and Ground Self-Defense Force. They created a unique local delicacy called “Sasebo Jieitai Gourmet Curry“. Here are four reasons why you must try some of them.

今や世界的に人気な日本のカレー。日本を訪れる外国人には、ぜひ食べてほしい料理です。中でも佐世保を訪れる際には、させぼ自衛隊グルメのカレーをオススメしたい！市内の飲食店が海上自衛隊と陸上自衛隊、海上保安部とタッグを組んで生まれた自衛隊グルメ。そのカレーを食べるべき4つの理由をまとめました。

1. Curry is a special meal for Japanese navies.|カレーは海軍さんの特別なメニュー

During the Meiji era, the Imperial Japanese Navy lost many soldiers due to beriberi, caused by a lack of vitamin B1. When curry was introduced into their meals since it was nutritious and easily cooked in the ship, the number of deaths due to beriberi decreased. For this reason, curry is a special meal for the Japanese Navy recognized as a heroic meal. Now sailors eat curry every Friday to keep a sense of what day of the week it is during their long-term duty at sea.

明治時代、帝国海軍はビタミンB1の不足による脚気（かっけ）でたくさんの兵士を失いました。そこで栄養豊富で船での調理が簡単なカレーを取り入れたところ、死者が減少。そのため、カレーは兵士を救った食事として、今でも海軍さんの心に刻まれているそう。現在の海上自衛隊では、航海の間、曜日の感覚を維持するために金曜日にカレーを食べています。

2. Each Ship Provides her Best Recipe|各部隊が最高のレシピを提供！

Each ship provides its most delicious recipe to its partner restaurant. Because when it comes to curry, they don’t want to lose to other ships! “I was astounded that the recipe was so elaborate,” said Mr. Shigenobu, the owner of the participating restaurant, Aizan-tei. Local restaurants reproduce the passion-packed curry as close to the original as possible.

各部隊はレストランに最高のレシピを提供します。理由はズバリ！他の部隊に負けたくないから！愛山亭の店主、重信さんも、レシピの手の込み具合に驚いたそう。情熱の詰まったレシピは、各レストランで可能な限り忠実に再現されています。

The participating restaurants must receive the certificate of accreditation from the captain of the ship/squad.

艦長/部隊長の認定を受けたレストランのみ、カレーの提供を許されます。

３.Truly delicious!|ガチでおいしい！

We spoke with the Chamber of Commerce staff in charge. “All the meals from the Sasebo Jieitai Gourmet Curry are delicious,” said Ms. Baba and Mr. Yamaguchi. They said they really meant it! Sasebo is the only city where people can eat curry from the Japanese navy, and army and Maritime Safety Agency.

佐世保商工会議所の馬場さんと山口さんも「どの自衛隊グルメのカレーも全部おいしい！」と語っていました。突っ込んで聞いたところ、ガチでおいしいとのこと。海上自衛隊、陸上自衛隊、海上保安部３つ部隊のカレーが食べられるのは佐世保だけだそうですよ。

4. Collect 25 kinds of pin badges. ｜25種のピンバッチがもらえる！

The Sasebo Jieitai Gourmet Campaign has started on January 22, 2024. If you eat Jieitai curry, post it on Instagram with a hashtag “#させぼ自衛隊グルメ” and show the post to the shop staff, you will receive a original pin badge (limited to 100 badges each restaurant). You can collect 25 different badges at 25 restaurants!

１月22日、オリジナルピンバッチがもらえるハッシュタグキャンペーンが始まりました！各店舗100個限定で、なくなり次第終了です。この機会にカレーを食べてバッジを集めてみて。日本国籍の方は、ミステリーツアーに行けるスタンプラリーもありますよ。
詳しくは商工会議所のHPへ→ こちら

The Restaurant List| 店舗リスト

English friendliness varies depending on the restaurant. We’ll updates you about it on our future article.

No.	Resto	Squad	Map	Note
1	Nagasaki Beef “Aizan-tei”	JS ISE	Here	🅿 No, Included in the salad buffe or all-you-can-eat yakiniku
2	Japanese restaurant “Suigetsu”	JS ARIAKE	Here	🅿 No, Reservation required by the day before.
3	Isuzu	Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade	Here	🅿 Yes
4	Ichigyo-ichie	Sasebo Training Squad	Here	🅿 Yes

＊JS=Japanese Ship

No.	Resto	Squad	Map	Note
5	Kujukushima Kaiyuu	Sasebo Base Service Squad	Here	🅿 No
6	Nishikaze	JS AKEBONO	Here	🅿 Yes, Only 10 per day
7	KORON	JS HARUSAME	Here	🅿 Yes
8	Sauna San	JS ASHIGARA	Here	🅿 No Men’s sauna shop, Takeout only for ladies
9	Sake Bar “Kaya”	JS CHOKAI	Here	🅿 No
10	Sasebox 99+1	JS SAWAGIRI	Here	🅿 Yes

＊JS=Japanese Ship

No.	Resto	Squad	Map	Note
11	Sasebo Burger Museum	JS JINTSU	Here	🅿 Yes
12	Anchor Club	JS SUZUTSUKI	Here	🅿 No, Only 5 per day
13	Central Hotel Sasebo	JS KIRISAME	Here	🅿 Yes
14	Tsuji Shoten 2F Restaurant	Temporary not available	Here	🅿 Yes
15	DREAMER Grill & Cafe	JS AKIZUKI	Here	🅿 No
16	Chicken BBQ Tetra	JS OUMI	Here	🅿 No, Only 10 per day

＊JS=Japanese Ship

No.	Resto	Squad	Map	Note
17	HASUYA CAFE	JS HAGURO	Here	🅿 Yes
18	Hamburg-ya SS389	JS AMAKUSA	Here	🅿 Yes
19	Fujinaga Honten	Maritime Safety Agency TIKUGO	Here	🅿 Yes, Reservation required by the day before. Only 10 per day
20	Bonne Saveur Hotel Resol Sasebo	JS KONGO	Here	🅿 Yes
21	Military Shokudo at Sasebox 99	JS YAKUSHIMA	Here	🅿 No
22	Sakura	JS TAKASHIMA	Here	🅿 Yes