History of Pork Tonkatsu

Though many associate Tonkatsu with Japanese culture, it is the product of Western influence. During the Meiji period (1868 to 1912), Japan entered a “modernization” movement. In other words, the country began becoming Westernized and in came French and Italian influences. This says a lot about the name Tonkatsu as “katsu” comes from the Japanese word “katsuretto” (meaning cutlet), which could ultimately be tied to the French word “cotolette” or Italian word “cotoletta alla milanese.”

European-style cutlets gained popularity in Japan in the 1890s in restaurants that served youshoku (Western food). One restaurant in particular, Rengatei (which still operates today), found that frying the cutlets in butter was too oily. In came the adaptation of the Japanese “tempura” frying technique to the making of the dish.

Coining of the name most likely came later from Matsuzo Kisano. Matsuzo began by opening a French restaurant in Tokyo before focusing his efforts on a spot that specialized in Tonkatsu. The dish gained traction in the pre-WWII days due to Japanese soldiers’ love for dishes with high fat content.

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