{
  "id": 16698591,
  "title": "This curry restaurant might have the worst location in Tokyo…or maybe the best",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/this-curry-restaurant-might-have-the-worst-location-in-tokyo-or-maybe",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-27T03:00:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SoraNews24",
    "slug": "soranews24",
    "url": "https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/this-curry-restaurant-might-have-the-worst-location-in-tokyo-or-maybe-the-best/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the heart of Tokyo, there lies a curry restaurant that may have the worst or perhaps the best location. Spice Curry Alk Road has earned its spot among the top 100 curry eateries in the city, according to Tabelog, thanks to its impressive customer ratings. Situated just a minute's walk from Iidabashi Station, one might assume it possesses an ideal location. However, upon visiting, it becomes apparent that its position could also be considered suboptimal.\n\nUpon arriving at the restaurant, the signage proudly displays “カレー” (the Japanese word for curry) along with the characters for “Joto,” indicating the presence of a Joto Curry chain nearby. This could lead unsuspecting patrons to believe that Alk Road has vacated the premises and been replaced by a Joto branch. Although such occurrences are not uncommon in Japan, as it can help reduce renovation expenses, the situation takes a peculiar turn when one examines the entrance to Joto Curry.\n\nInterestingly, both Joto Curry and Alk Road are listed on the noren (the cloth banner hanging above the entrance). The confusion deepens as you enter the establishment, as the first floor belongs to Joto Curry. To locate Alk Road, you must turn right and follow the arrows up the stairs to the second floor, ultimately discovering the independent curry joint.",
  "summary": "Alk Road finds a way to turn a negative into a positive. There are a lot of curry restaurants to choose from in Tokyo, but Spice Curry Alk Road stands out from many of its rice-and-roux rivals by virtue of its outstanding customer reviews. Diners are so satisfied that they’ve made Alk Road one of […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Spice Curry Alk Road may have the worst or best location in Tokyo.",
    "Located near Iidabashi Station, yet confusing signage leads to second-floor discovery.",
    "Both Alk Road and Joto Curry share noren banners, causing customer confusion."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}