Japan’s much-loved “tonkatsu” pork cutlets come with a mound of freshly shredded cabbage, but a surge in the price of the humble vegetable has prompted chef Katsumi Shinagawa to skimp on servings.
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The culprit is a changing climate. Last year’s record summer heat and heavy rain ruined crops, driving up the cost of the leafy green in what media have dubbed a “cabbage shock”.
It is the latest pain point for shoppers and eateries already squeezed by inflation, with energy bills up along with the price of staples from rice to flour and cooking oil.
Shinagawa’s Tokyo restaurant Katsukichi offers free cabbage refills alongside its juicy, deep-fried cutlets – a common practice with tonkatsu, a national comfort food.
But with cabbage now over three times more expensive than usual, according to the agriculture ministry, the restaurant has had to make each serving slightly smaller.
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“I was ready to cope when the price of flour started rising, but not cabbage,” Shinagawa said, explaining that “tonkatsu and cabbage are like inseparable friends”.