Hiroyuki Miyasako’s New Restaurant Success is Badly Affecting His Health and Image as Comedian

Former Ameagari Kesshitai member Hiroyuki Miyasako’s yakiniku restaurant “Gyu Miyagi” finally opened on March 1.

The restaurant was originally scheduled to open in October of last year, but the quality of the meat served at the tasting was not up to par, forcing the restaurant to reopen. At the same time, Hikaru, a YouTube star and close ally of Miyasako , withdrew from the joint management of the restaurant, resulting in a reported rent of 2.8 million yen, as well as tens of millions of yen in remodeling costs, and some people were concerned that Miyasako might go bankrupt.

But what happened when the restaurant opened? The restaurant, which seats 80 people, is fully booked and will remain so for the rest of the month. Celebrities who visited the restaurant through Miyasako’s contacts also gave the restaurant generally high marks.

Businessman Takafumi Horie, who had warned on social media that the restaurant would “definitely fail,” visited the restaurant on March 3 and said, “It was delicious.” On Twitter.

Domestic makgeolli, refreshing, not too sweet, so good that you end up drinking too much of it. This one was also created by Mr. Miyasako.

This garlic rice was addictively delicious.

He raved about the food. The last one was

It was just a your common yakiniku restaurant.

His added comment.

The people who have been giving me a hard time so far have turned the tables on me (laughs). For Mr. Miyasako, it must have been a relief to be able to advertise his restaurant for free. It is safe to say that the first hurdle has been cleared.

A good start was expected due to the initial buzz, but the problem came after three months, half a year, and so on, after the opening. This will require “sacrifice” on Miyasako’s part. According to a woman in her 40s who actually visited the restaurant

Mr. Miyasako himself went around to each table and greeted us, saying,’Thank you for coming today. I was honestly excited because he is a celebrity I have seen on TV. If that “welcoming” service by Mr. Miyasako continues, I think this restaurant will become a popular spot in Shibuya.

He said. Indeed, if the restaurant becomes known as “the place where you can meet Miyasako,” it is likely to attract an increasing number of regular customers.

However, Miyasako’s physical strength will be an issue in making this happen. A woman in her 40s, as mentioned above, said

He had dark circles under his eyes and looked tired. I also heard that he hardly slept at all in preparation for the opening.

Miyasako is also 52 years old this year. In 2012, he suffered a serious illness that nearly cost him his life. According to a person who knows Miyasako

He has a character of pushing himself too hard and collapsing at the end. When Gyugujou was on a cliff, he drank alcohol every day to relieve stress. He has always been an unhealthy person, so I am worried that he will break down from all the hard work.

He said. The restaurant plans to open for lunch in the near future, which will put a heavy physical burden on Miyasako, if not 24 hours a day.

There is another problem. Popular YouTube personality Korekore visited Gyugujou on February 2 and told some reporters

It was delicious. The interior was superb, but the food was common.

He also commented, “I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not.” 

He was no longer a comedian. He had become a barbecue restaurant. He didn’t say anything funny at all.

He shared his impression of the company. 

I think Mr. Miyasako will eventually run into a dilemma. If he continues to stand at Gyugujou, he can expect to make sales, but his activities as a comedian will be next to nothing.

His YouTube videos will have to be related to Gyugujou. On the one hand, he is happy that the restaurant is thriving, but on the other hand, he must be struggling with where he stands in relation to his being a comedian.

He points out, “The company’s business is not only to provide a good product, but also to provide a good service.” Miyasako’s battle has only just begun.