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So you’ve studied up on sushi, ramen, tempura, sashimi, and gyudon. You can tell udon from soba, and okonomiyaki from tamagoyaki. Perhaps you think you’ve completed your food education and are ready to head to “the Land of the Rising Sun” to experience the legendary food first hand. But before you step on that plane…have you brushed up on your curry pan?

Far from being a ubiquitous Japanese food, the Japan Currypan Association is hoping to raise the awareness and love for curry pan all across the country and the world. And they will do it with cute girls and fashion. It’s Japan, did you expect anything else?

Let’s start from Curry Pan 101.

In a nutshell, it’s a bun filled with curry. Pan means bread in Japanese but in this case, the bread resembles a donut. Sometimes coated with Japanese bread crumbs, the bread has a delightfully crunchy texture that accompanies the warm curry on the inside. Fillings include all different kinds of curry, so if there is a particular style of curry you like, there is probably a curry pan for it somewhere in Japan.

The Japan Currypan Association (JCPA) has a clear goal: “To make all the people of the world smile through curry pan.” The association already does research on curry pan trends and eating habits and even has a licensing test that certifies you as a “curry pan specialist” (kare-pan tajisuta カレーパンタジスタ).

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The Japan Currypan Association is hoping to make 2015 the year of “curry bread and beauty.” They are charging out of the gates with a campaign called “Girls Who Love Curry Pan 2015.” They hope to excite girls who love curry pan and beauty. The campaign’s goals are to inspire curry pan fashion ideas and incorporate it into different activities, including where to go for the best curry pan dates!

However, this isn’t the first time that the JCPA has paired fashion with bread. Last year, the Curry Pan Joshibu (Curry Pan Girls Club) valiantly tried to match snazzy clothes and daily life with curry pan. Perhaps this time around, they will choose less see-through clothing.

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▼ We guess you aren’t allowed to sit until you’ve eaten all your curry pan.

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The JCPA will introduce the leaders of this campaign at the Curry Pan New Year’s Gathering on January 16. All you curry pan-atics in Tokyo should get to La Terre Maison, a bread bistro in Tokyo. It will cost you 5,000 yen (US$42.05) if you aren’t a Currypan member, but for those who are, you’ll be chilling with a 1,000 yen ($8.40) discount! Sign up today and begin tomorrow with curry pan-damonium.

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Source: Net Lab
Images: Japan Currypan Association