Tonkatsu Pork Cutlet

About Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is one of Japan's most representative Western-style (yoshoku) dishes, featuring a pork cutlet which is coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Today, it's commonly served as part of a "teishoku" set meal with rice, miso soup, and shredded cabbage, and is widely enjoyed both as everyday home cooking and a popular dining-out option. The name "tonkatsu" is a Japanese-made word, combining "ton" (pork) and "katsuretsu," the Japanese pronunciation of "cutlet."

The origins of tonkatsu date back to the Meiji era, when Western food culture was introduced to Japan. Following the opening of country borders in the 1850’s, Western cuisine rapidly gained popularity, and the French "côtelette" (cutlet) – typically veal or mutton coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried in butter – was among them. In 1872 (Meiji 5), news of Emperor Meiji eating beef spurred the wider acceptance of meat consumption in Japan. Subsequently, "beef katsuretsu," a thin slice of beef coated and pan-fried, became a yoshoku staple.

Later, due to the Russo-Japanese War which began in 1904, beef prices soared. Pork, being relatively cheaper, gained attention as an alternative, leading to the emergence of "pork katsuretsu." This pork cutlet, combined with the uniquely Japanese cooking method of deep-frying in abundant oil similar to the tempura cooking style, evolved into "tonkatsu." The first time this dish was sold under the name "tonkatsu" was in 1929 (Showa 4) at a yoshoku restaurant in Ueno Okachimachi called "Ponchiken." The creator was Shinjiro Shimada, a chef who had previously worked in the Imperial Household Agency's Western cuisine department.

Around the same time, "Rengatei," a long-established yoshoku restaurant in Ginza, was also serving "pork katsuretsu," a precursor to tonkatsu. Rengatei adapted the dish to suit Japanese palates by deep-frying it in oil instead of pan-frying in butter. They also switched from dry breadcrumbs to coarser, fresh "panko" breadcrumbs, achieving a light and crispy texture. Pork was adopted as an alternative to veal and was reportedly already on their menu by 1899. Furthermore, they simplified the accompanying cooked vegetables to shredded cabbage and changed the demi-glace sauce to Worcestershire sauce, making adjustments to meet the demands of the era. These adaptations formed the prototype for the later tonkatsu teishoku.

Tonkatsu became more than just a dish; it gained special meaning within Japanese food culture. Pork is rich in Vitamin B1, known for its fatigue-relieving effects, leading many to associate it with "eating to get energized." Additionally, because the word "katsu" sounds like "katsu" (to win), it became known as a good-luck meal eaten before exams, competitions, or other important events.

Subsequently, tonkatsu spawned various derivative dishes. "Katsu sando" (tonkatsu sandwich), "katsu curry" (curry rice topped with tonkatsu), and Nagoya's "miso katsu" (tonkatsu served with miso sauce) are representative examples. These often arose from customer requests or accidental innovations that eventually became standard menu items.

Today, tonkatsu is widely available not only in specialty restaurants but also as a beloved home-cooked meal,in bento boxes, and even on convenience store shelves. While new cooking methods like "non-fried tonkatsu" are emerging to cater to health-conscious consumers, the fundamental cooking technique – coating in breadcrumbs and deep-frying in hot oil – has remained largely unchanged for over 100 years. As a dish symbolizing Japanese yoshoku culture and as an emblem of "unchanging taste," tonkatsu continues to evolve while remaining beloved by many.