【June 17】Yakiniku Horumon Zakuro Opens 20th Store in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture

Yakiniku Horumon Zakuro Moriyama Store

Fastest Dining Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kora, Shiga Prefecture; President & CEO: Yuzuru Taniguchi), which operates restaurants primarily in the Tokai and Kansai regions, will grand open "Yakiniku Horumon Zakuro Moriyama Store" in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM. This new store marks the brand’s 20th location just five years after its launch and becomes the second store within Shiga Prefecture—the company’s founding region.

Yakiniku Horumon Zakuro

Originally, we operated private-room izakayas specializing in seafood and meat dishes for over 15 years. While expanding to new locations and upgrading existing ones, we faced the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With prolonged periods of restricted operations, some of our stores were forced to close.

Under the urgent fear of going out of business, we turned our focus to the yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) business. At a time when ventilation was emphasized for infection control, yakiniku restaurants had a structural advantage due to their smoke-exhausting grills. Additionally, roadside locations outside city centers aligned well with consumers’ desire to avoid crowded spaces.

However, progress in product development—such as meat sourcing and marinade formulation—was slower than expected, and equipment investments exceeded initial estimates. Honestly, there were many moments when we considered giving up on opening a yakiniku restaurant.

What kept us going was returning to a fundamental insight: "There are high-end, quality yakiniku restaurants, but there are no affordable, high-quality ones." Driven by the desire to create a restaurant where customers would say, "It was delicious," "Great value for money," and "Eating yakiniku makes me happy," we opened our first store, "Yakiniku Horumon Zakuro Kasugai Store," in February 2021.

In the early days, we received honest feedback such as "Other yakiniku restaurants are more delicious." Yet, through continuous improvements, we began to see repeat customers visiting weekly, and more people started smiling and saying, "It’s always delicious." We believe this steady accumulation of trust and satisfaction has led us to our 20th store today.

Opening in Vibrant Moriyama

Amid nationwide population decline, Moriyama City continues to thrive, particularly among young families. With excellent access to Kyoto and Osaka, we see great potential in the city’s future growth.

We chose Moriyama because we want to create a place where families and working professionals can enjoy delicious, safe, and affordable meat not just on special occasions, but as part of their everyday lives. Our goal is to become a restaurant deeply rooted in the community, enriching daily dining experiences for local residents.

Zakuro’s Commitments

Today, the entire food service industry faces unavoidable price increases. While we are not immune, we have continuously refined sourcing and operations to uphold our brand’s core principle: "maximum value." Rather than compromising quality through simple cost-cutting, we’ve chosen to invest more effort where it matters.

Our meat is hand-cut in-store by skilled staff. Though less efficient than factory processing, this allows us to tailor cuts based on each animal’s muscle and fat distribution, ensuring optimal tenderness and flavor. We also apply ideal aging periods for each cut, serving meat at the peak of its umami.

Rice is milled daily in-store and cooked to order in special rice cookers. Since "delicious, affordable meat and rice" is our slogan, we never compromise on quality. Customers often say, "I’d come just for the rice," praising the freshly cooked, glossy grains prepared within 20 minutes of ordering.

Our marinade is a house-made blend using only natural ingredients. Based on authentic brewed soy sauce and genuine mirin, it includes over eight ingredients such as grated domestic onions, apples, and lemons, carefully simmered and aged for depth. The result is a light yet rich flavor that enhances the natural taste of wagyu beef.

Meat, Rice, and Marinade with Purpose

As inflation continues, yakiniku is gradually becoming a luxury. However, we believe the joy of eating delicious food and the warmth of sharing meals with family and friends should not be reserved only for special occasions.

Our founding conviction—"delivering the highest value to customers is our social purpose"—remains unchanged. Continuously offering high-quality meat at low prices, even at the expense of profit, is our greatest contribution to the community. With a robust kids’ membership program—including sign-up perks, birthday gifts, and holiday events—we aim to become Moriyama’s most accessible and joyful "Japan’s No.1 Smile-Inducing Yakiniku Restaurant."

Store Information

Yakiniku Horumon Zakuro Moriyama Store

Address: 4 Chome-1-19 Yoshimi, Moriyama City, Shiga 524-0021

Phone: 077-558-6626

Business Hours: Monday–Friday 5:00 PM–11:00 PM

Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 4:00 PM–11:00 PM

Closed: Irregular holidays (closed on December 31 and January 1)

Temporary Closures: June 23, June 30

Official Website: https://www.yakiniku-zakuro.com