Interview with owner Manami Oda
Kurashiki Curry stands out for its unique shared-space business model and carefully crafted curry.
We spoke with Kurashiki Curry owner Manami Oda.
“Kurashiki Curry” closed on Sunday, April 26, 2026. It is scheduled to relocate and reopen after a preparation period.
This interview is based on the initial visit in November 2018.
How she came to open a curry restaurant in Kurashiki
Why did you open a curry restaurant in Kurashiki?
Oda
I’m originally from Kurashiki City, and after graduating from high school, I studied French cuisine at a culinary school.
After graduating, I continued training, mainly in French cuisine, outside Okayama Prefecture, including Osaka, and overseas.
Even then, I had always wanted to “open a restaurant someday in my hometown of Kurashiki City, where I was born and raised.”
But although I wanted to open a restaurant back home, I had no connections, and it was difficult to start a business right away.
So I returned home and worked at restaurants in my home prefecture of Okayama, honing my cooking skills while building connections.
Why did you switch from French cuisine, your specialty, to curry?
Oda
Given my age and finances, I thought it would be difficult to open a French restaurant.
Then, the bar where I was working to gain experience decided to open a curry restaurant.
When I heard about it, I started thinking that curry might be a good option too.
That’s because curry was already one of my favorite foods.
Also, I’m a certified vegetable sommelier, and curry is a dish that lets me put my knowledge as a vegetable sommelier to use.
Around that time, I also learned about the shared-space business model and became interested in it.
The biggest reason I opened a curry restaurant was that the easy-to-start shared-space model was a good fit for curry.
About the shared-space business model
Why did you choose the “shared-space” business model, which is unusual around Kurashiki City?
Oda
I learned that curry restaurants operating out of shared spaces, commonly known as “Yadokari Curry,” were popular in Osaka.
I tried going to Yadokari Curry, and thought the shared-space model was a good idea.
I thought being able to open with little capital was appealing.
I also thought the kitchen size and other aspects were a good fit for curry.
There are only so many dishes you can serve using a bar’s kitchen.
After deciding to open a curry restaurant in a shared space, I continued researching by trying curries at different places.
Then, an introduction from the owner of my regular hair salon helped me rent the bar I’m currently in, and that led to the opening of Kurashiki Curry.
These days, the bar sometimes buys curry roux from me and holds curry parties there in the evening.
What are some of the challenges unique to a shared-space restaurant?
Oda
I’m allowed to keep dishes and other items at the restaurant, but I can only use the kitchen during the day. So I prepare the curry at home, bring it to the restaurant, finish it there, and serve it.
Transporting ingredients is hard because the roux is liquid and heavy.
It weighs about 40–50 kilograms in total.
What does a typical workday look like?
Oda
Currently, after closing the restaurant at midday, I go home in the evening and go to bed early.
I wake up in the middle of the night, buy ingredients at the market, prepare them at home, bring them to the restaurant, and open for business. That’s my routine.
What makes the restaurant and its food special
What do you focus on in running the restaurant?
Oda
There are many restaurants in Kurashiki serving traditional Western-style curry.
Curry made with lots of spices is less common.
So I thought serving curry with lots of spices would help us stand out from the others.
But I wondered whether people in Kurashiki, who are used to Western-style curry, would enjoy curry with too much spice.
So I aimed to create a restaurant serving curry that falls between Western-style and spicy curry.
What do you focus on when making the curry roux?
Oda
As for the roux, I simmer it slowly for a long time, starting in the morning.
Also, the aroma of the spices fades over time.
That’s why I only use the roux on the day it’s made.
We currently offer two types of roux, plus one type for children, for a total of three.
With the way the restaurant is currently run, offering three types plus one is the easiest lineup to serve.
Why do you go out of your way to offer children’s curry despite having limited staff?
Oda
At first, we didn’t have children’s curry.
But after opening, I found that more customers with children came than I expected.
Some came with strollers, while others visited as part of gatherings with their mom friends.
So I decided to make children’s curry.
For children’s curry, we make the roux completely separately from the other two types.
Children’s curry contains none of the seven major allergens.
Many children today have allergies, so we take that into consideration.
It is also not spicy at all and is made extra sweet.
What should we know about the spices you use in the roux?
Oda
Spices are good for your health, so I develop the spice blends around the concept of “spices that energize you.”
One thing that sets us apart is that we use spices that ordinary curry restaurants don’t.
French cuisine was my specialty, so I also use spices I learned about when I worked in French cuisine.
Also, I don’t use any chili-based spices.
That’s why our curry is mild.
The slight heat comes from a spice called garam masala.
Instead of using chili-based spices in the curry, we let customers add as much of the “spicy seasoning” on the table as they like.
The curry is plated so beautifully; that really stands out.
Oda
Yes. We pay attention to how it looks, too.
We take care with the presentation so that people think it looks delicious and remember it. We’ve put thought into the tableware as well as the plating.
We choose tableware that looks good with curry. After trying various options, we settled on Mino ware plates. The spoons are wooden, not silver.
You’re a certified vegetable sommelier. Do you have any particular principles when it comes to vegetables?
Oda
When using vegetables, I always consider their nutritional value.
Some vegetables can interfere with one another’s nutrients.
For example, cucumbers destroy vitamins in other vegetables. So I take care with which vegetables I pair together.
I also make an effort to use seasonal produce. Seasonal vegetables are grown in the best conditions for them, so they’re at their best.
And serving seasonal ingredients gives customers a sense of the season, which I think they enjoy.
By the way, we use vegetables grown in Kurashiki.
My grandmother is actually a farmer, and sometimes I get vegetables grown in her fields.
The rice is also Niko-maru, a variety grown in Kurashiki.
Future plans
Finally, what are your plans for the restaurant?
Oda
In the future, I’d like to open a permanent restaurant in the Bikan Historical Area, rather than operating out of a shared space.
I’d also like to try opening a location in Okayama City.
I also want to help energize the local community.
Compared with the area around the Bikan Historical Area, the area in front of JR Kurashiki Station feels quiet. I’d like to help revitalize the area in front of JR Kurashiki Station by making the restaurant a success.
I also want to make curry a Kurashiki specialty.
One of curry’s strengths is that very few people dislike it, making it ideal as a local specialty dish.
I’d like to build up Kurashiki Curry as a specialty that visitors to Kurashiki can easily enjoy.
Kurashiki Curry: distinctive curry made with a vegetable sommelier’s expertise
Kurashiki Curry has attracted attention for its unusual format in Kurashiki: operating out of a bar’s shared space.
It’s impressive how the restaurant uses its owner’s vegetable-sommelier expertise to create carefully crafted curry.
The menu also includes thoughtful options informed by that expertise, such as children’s curry.
The owner, Ms. Oda, originally specialized in French cuisine.
The knowledge and techniques honed in French cuisine are also put to use in their distinctive curry, setting it apart from other curry shops.
In terms of the roux, Kurashiki Curry gave the impression of offering “chicken curry for connoisseurs” and “daily curry for everyone.”
We look forward to seeing what lies ahead for Kurashiki Curry, with Mr. Oda’s strong desire to make curry a local specialty.
Kurashiki Curry (KURASHIKI CURRY) Information
| Name | Kurashiki Curry (KURASHIKI CURRY) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2nd Seed Building, 2nd Floor, BIBI, 1-14-5 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-427-1274 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Monday First Sunday of the month |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Seating | 11 seats (7 counter seats, one table for four) |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Accessibility | Elevator |
| Website | Kurashiki Curry official Instagram |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a word to search articles on this site
