Kura Sushi
Japanese sushi restaurant chain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kura Sushi, Inc. (Japanese: くら寿司, Hepburn: Kurazushi[6]) is a Japanese conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain.[7][8] As of September 2022[update], it is the second largest sushi restaurant chain in Japan, behind Sushiro and ahead of Hama Sushi.[9] Its headquarters are in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.[10] As of October 2023[update], it has 543 locations in Japan, 56 in Taiwan, and 69 in the United States.[11]
| |
 Headquarters in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture | |
Native name | くら寿司株式会社 |
|---|---|
| TYO: 2695 | |
| Industry | Foodservice |
| Founded | November 1995 |
| Headquarters | Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
Number of locations | 649 (2023) |
Area served | Japan |
| Key people | Kunihiko Tanaka (president) |
| Revenue |  ¥211.4 billion (2023) |
| ¥0.863 billion (2023) | |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes [1][2] | |
Russell 2000 Index component
 | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Nasdaq: KRUS (Class A) Russell 2000 Index component | |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Irvine, California, United States |
Number of locations | 69 (2024) |
Area served | United States |
| Key people | Hajime Uba (chairman and CEO) |
| Revenue | US$64.89 million (2021) |
| US$−10.30 million (2021) | |
| Owner | Kura Sushi, Inc. (76% voting power) |
| Website | kurasushi |
| Footnotes [3] | |
| |
Native name | 亞洲藏壽司股份有限公司 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| TPEx: 2754 | |
| Founded | January 21, 2014 |
| Headquarters | Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan |
Number of locations | 45 (2022) |
Area served | Taiwan |
| Key people | Kentaro Nishikawa (chairman and CEO) |
| Revenue | NT$2.527 billion (2021) |
 NT$22.35 million (2021) | |
| Owner | Kura Sushi, Inc. (67.99%) |
| Website | kurasushi |
| Footnotes [4][5] | |
History
Kunihiko Tanaka opened a sushi restaurant in Sakai, Japan in 1977, and seven years later opened a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant.[12] This would later lead to the founding of Kura Corporation in 1995.[13]
Kura Sushi opened its first restaurant in the United States in Irvine, California in 2009.[14][15]
Kura Sushi opened its first international location in Taiwan in December 2014 near Songjiang Nanjing metro station in Taipei.[16]
Kura has implemented various methods of automation to maximize efficiency and reduce costs. For instance, the use of conveyor belts that carry sushi to diners reduces the need for waiters.[17] Additionally, at some of Kura Sushi's locations, a robot called "KuraB the Kurabot" delivers foods, beverages, and other items to customers.[18]
Kura Sushi has also featured decorations and menu items based on characters from Sonic the Hedgehog, Hello Kitty, One Piece, Pikmin, and Peanuts. By inserting a certain number of plates into a receptacle, customers can trigger custom animations or win prizes during their dining experience.[19]
Response to COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the company received $6 million in forgivable loans intended for small businesses from the U.S. government through the Paycheck Protection Program.[20] The funds were distributed as part of the government's $2.2 trillion CARES Act and intended to benefit workers at employers with fewer than 500 employees that are unable to obtain credit elsewhere.[20] The loan was returned after criticism,[21] from people such as Marco Rubio.[20]