Forget Tonkatsu, Try This Instead : Tarekatsu-Don

The Story by Coco & The Recipe & Kitchen Notes by Kiki

Hi, I’m Coco.

If you’re reading this, you probably already love Japanese food.

Sushi, ramen, tempura—Japan has so many incredible dishes that the world has come to love. But now that you’ve found us (and Kiki’s magical cooking!), we can’t let you stop at just the famous ones. There is a whole world of hidden culinary gems in Japan that most people outside the country never get to experience, and we want to share them with you.

First, there’s a phrase you should know: Gotochi Gourmet (ご当地グルメ), which means “local regional specialties.” Japan has 47 prefectures, and every single one has its own unique food that locals are incredibly proud of. These dishes are shaped by the local climate, history, and the passion of the people—they are the ultimate comfort foods.

If you ever meet someone from Japan, try asking them: “What’s the regional specialty from your hometown?” I promise their eyes will light up. My dream through these essays is to eventually introduce you to all of them.

Today, for Vol. 1, we’re starting with the absolute pride of Kiki’s hometown: Niigata.

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The Secret of Tare-Katsu Don: A Masterpiece from Snow Country

Just a two-hour Shinkansen ride from Tokyo, facing the Sea of Japan, lies Niigata. It’s a huge region—spanning about 250 kilometers from top to bottom. In European terms, that’s like traveling from London to Paris, or driving all the way through Amsterdam and Brussels to the French border.

In the winter, the entire landscape turns into a beautiful, white Snow Country. More importantly, it is Japan’s ultimate Rice & Sake Kingdom, famous for producing the best rice in the country.

Deep within this vast region, in the northern area around Niigata City, locals have loved one specific dish for nearly a century: Tare-Katsu Don.

While it originally came from Western cutlets, Niigata made it special. They combined the Western crispy cutlet with a traditional Japanese soy-sauce glaze, creating a perfect East-meets-West rice bowl.

The meat is pounded thin before frying, making it light and incredibly tender. The real secret is the Amakara (sweet-and-savory) soy sauce glaze. We Japanese absolutely love this balance of sweet and salty. One bite of this juicy cutlet over warm rice, and you won’t be able to stop eating.

How a Berlin Schnitzel Brought Back Childhood Memories

While Tare-Katsu is usually made with pork, the local diner Kiki went to as a child always made theirs with chicken. It was so soft that even her much younger brother could eat it easily, making it the centerpiece of warm, happy family dinners.

Years later, after moving to Berlin, Kiki tried a German Schnitzel for the first time. The moment she bit into that thin, crispy meat, it instantly took her back to that diner in Niigata. Later, watching her own son—who usually fusses over meat—happily devour a schnitzel, the two memories overlapped. She thought, “If my hometown comfort food brings this much joy, people all over the world might love it too.”

Even in different countries, the feeling of “home” is exactly the same. Today, we’re recreating that very taste.

I’ll hand the mic over to Kiki now. Get ready to taste the soul of Niigata!

Welcome to our Digital Kitchen Classroom!

Hi, I’m Kiki. From here, you’re stepping into our private kitchen.

As Coco beautifully said, it really is amazing how a Berlin schnitzel could instantly bring back the flavors of my childhood. When you live abroad, those nostalgic tastes become your anchor. But finding out that people from different cultures can share that same joy? That is the happiest thing a cook could ask for.

We’re going to make this legendary regional dish using simple ingredients you can find at EDEKA, or whatever major supermarket is near you. We might not have Niigata’s famous rice today, but let’s save that excitement for when you visit Japan!

Instead, I’m going to share my foolproof method for cooking perfect, fluffy rice in a regular pot. The moment the sweet, savory aroma of soy sauce and sugar fills your kitchen, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled straight to Niigata.

Tie your aprons. Let’s cook!

LESSON #3 Tare-Katsu Don

[ Serves 4 ]