Sukairaku’s Plan to Preserve the Original Style of Suisan Udon

Will there be no more Shisan Udon?

On September 6, Kitakyushu citizens were shocked to hear the news.

Ltd., which operates “Shisan Udon” mainly in Kitakyushu City. The news was reported in national newspapers as “Kitakyushu City’s Soul Food Aims to Go Global from Nationwide Expansion” (Nikkan Gendai, September 14, 2012) and “Why the Acquisition of Sukayuraku’s ‘Shisan Udon’ is Delicious” (Toyo Keizai ONLINE, September 14, 2012). (Toyo Keizai ONLINE, September 14, 2012), and the acquisition was favorably received as an acquisition in the food service industry.

Then, on September 13, “Shisan Co., Ltd.” reiterated the news announced in February of this year that it would open its first store in the Kanto region at the end of 2012 in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, and also announced that it would open a store in Ryogoku, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, at the beginning of 2013. This was greeted on SNS with the following words: “I’ve been waiting for you! I never thought they would come to Tokyo. …… However, the majority of the local people had the exact opposite reaction.

We spoke with a regular visitor to Shizuka, a cab driver in his 60s, about the decision,

A taxi driver in his 60s said, “When the news came out in February of this year that the first Kanto branch would open in Chiba Prefecture, I wondered if this unique local style would really be accepted throughout the country.　I wondered if this unique local style would be accepted throughout the country. That was the first thing I thought. Only six months later, we were acquired by a major restaurant chain, so many passengers ask, ‘Is Shisan (the common name for Shisan Udon) going to disappear? …… Personally, I think the style of Shisan we know will eventually disappear.”

He revealed a feeling close to resignation. Other,

It’s a shame,” said a family member who frequents the restaurant twice a week, “because they didn’t go national before, and I liked the atmosphere because it didn’t feel like a chain restaurant.

(A family member who frequents the restaurant twice a week) “To be honest, we don’t like it.　I’m sure they will be replaced by catering robots or something.

Most of the customers voiced their concerns.