ARTICLES
Why are foreigners making authentic Indian curry at the Toyohirakyo Onsen, deep in the mountains of Sapporo?
Mr. Bun has been making curry for 25 years with a passion for curry.
As of December 2023, there are seven Nepalese staff members working at Toyohirakyo Onsen, some of whom are here on work visas, and others are permanent residents.
I came here in 2009. Before that, I worked in India for 11 years making curry. When I was in India, I was thinking of going somewhere else after that, and a Nepalese friend of mine who was working at Toyohirakyo Onsen told me about a good place, and I came here. Since then, I have been staying here ever since.
Mr. Bun spoke in very fluent Japanese about his background. He and his wife have now obtained permanent residency in Japan and are raising two children.
He says, "Right now, I'm putting a lot of onions in here and simmering it for a long time. Then I cool it down and make the roux tomorrow morning with a mixer. The roux I made this morning is in the pot next to it.
The curry prepared by Mr. Boon and the Nepalese staff is authentic.
The naan served with curry is baked in a custom-built ceramic tandoor oven, which can only be produced in two places in Japan, so it has an exquisite crispy outside and fluffy inside! The crispy outside and fluffy inside are exquisite!
The curry is authentic! The hot spring water is also of excellent quality!
The curry served at Toyohirakyo Onsen has competed with the best in Susukino, which is crowded with many restaurants, and originally comes from Nepal and North India. This is why, despite being a day spa facility located deep in the mountains, there is a steady stream of customers who come to eat curry every day of the week.
It is understandable that some people do not take a bath in the hot spring but just eat curry and go home. The hot spring water is also free-flowing and moisturizes your skin, making it a must-see. You can enjoy the hot spring along with curry! No, curry with onsen!
Toyohirakyo Onsen
■Opening hours:
Bathing hours: 10:00-22:30 (last admission at 21:45)
Restaurant hours
Indian food 11:00 - 21:00 (last order)
Japanese food 11:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00 (last order)
*(The building closes at 22:30)
Click here for details and map information of "Toyohirakyo Onsen
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Writer Profile
Travel creator Nobuka Kawashima
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. She moved to Hokkaido in 2009 after traveling to all 179 cities, towns, and villages in Hokkaido and being captivated by the charm and magic of the northern region. Since then, she has been mainly involved in media related to travel and regional revitalization, including reporting and filming, producing articles and videos, and planning and editing. My mission is to "increase the number of Hokkaido fans.
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