Innovating the "Export of Japanese Food Culture." Toyosu Shachu's 20-Year Dream: Platform Expansion to 100 Cities Worldwide.

We endorse April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for sharing dreams. This press release represents the dream of Toyosu Shachu Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Taito-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Hidenao Makiuchi).

Japan is an overwhelmingly gastronomic nation, and Japanese food culture is a powerful asset with immense potential. However, even with this asset, individual companies and people face thick walls of language, logistics, know-how, and networks when attempting to expand overseas independently, preventing them from fully leveraging this potential. To unleash this potential, we are building a platform that connects ambitious "people," refined "tastes," and successful "know-how" to challenge the world as a team.

20 years from now, a future where Japanese food enriches daily life in 100 cities worldwide—this is a Reiwa-era industrial innovation to be achieved not by individual struggle, but by the power of "Shachu" (a collective).

The Origin of Our Founding: Bringing Japan's Delicious Food to the World Together

When Representative Makiuchi lived in London, he noticed that while the number of Japanese restaurants was increasing in foreign cities, many were "pseudo-Japanese" establishments run by foreign capital, or Japanese-owned ones were primarily large chains with significant financial resources. There are still few examples of authentic restaurants, honed in a world-renowned gourmet city like Tokyo, venturing into the global market.

"With so many players possessing the finest tastes and aspirations, why is overseas expansion so challenging?" To answer this question, we established "Toyosu Shachu." Like the "Kameyama Shachu" led by Sakamoto Ryoma, where Bakumatsu-era patriots gathered regardless of their affiliations, we aim to bring together like-minded individuals to confront the vast global market as a team. This is our starting point.

(Reference) Statement of Purpose (January 22, 2024)

The Essence of Innovation: Breaking Through Individual Limits with a "Team"

Until now, the "export of Japanese food culture" typically involved each company taking on risks and proceeding through trial and error independently. The innovation we are bringing redefines this very structure of "individual challenge."

Pooling Strengths: We will create a co-creation platform where artisans and restaurants with refined "tastes and reputations," "ambitious individuals" eager to go overseas, and "know-how and networks" that support success can meet and challenge the world as a team.

Creating New Value: By bringing together professionals with shared aspirations but different strengths as a "Shachu," we will generate unprecedented speed and scale, along with new experiential value that deeply resonates with local people.

20-Year Goal: An Ecosystem Thriving in 100 Cities Worldwide

We will achieve our 20-year dream through the following three steps:

Step 1 (Current): Establish a business foundation in Japan centered on "Sake x Inbound x Experience."

Step 2: Expand overseas using "Sake experience" as a weapon to establish a foothold.

Step 3: Pivot to "overall food experience" and complete the co-creation platform.

Toyosu Shachu's Vision for 20 Years from Now: Major cities around the world will be filled with authentic Japanese flavors. This will not be merely a network of stores, but a grand ecosystem where Japanese producers, restaurants, chefs, individuals venturing overseas, and local fans share joy through Toyosu Shachu's platform.

First Step's Theme: Sake x Inbound x Experience

As our first step, we opened the Sake experience facility "WASAKE Sake Experience" in Asakusa in November 2024. We conduct multiple daily experience programs, such as "Sake Tasting Classes by a Sake Sommelier," and have increased our specialized staff with qualifications like Sake Sommeliers since January 2026. 80% of our customers are from overseas, and we are daily transmitting the charm of Japanese sake and Japanese culture to the world from Asakusa.

(Reference) WASAKE Website Japanese English

Message from the Representative: Turning Dreams into Reality

Instead of entrusting the "export of Japanese food culture" to a few large corporations, we aim to transform it into an industry where anyone with ambition can challenge. We will accelerate further with this April Dream. From the small step of "WASAKE" in Asakusa to 100 cities in 20 years. We will carve out a future where Japanese food is proudly unleashed to the world, together with our "Shachu" companions.

Company Profile

Toyosu Shachu was established in January 2024,

with the mission of "Bringing Japan's delicious food to the world together."

By "creating a platform for people and companies challenging the world with food as their weapon,"

we aim to innovate the "export of Japanese food culture" industry,

and challenge to significantly grow this industry.

WASAKE is positioned as the first step, and we will undertake various challenges starting from this.

Company Name Toyosu Shachu Co., Ltd.

Representative Hidenao Makiuchi, Representative Director, Co-Founder CEO

Date of Establishment January 2024

Capital 12 million JPY

Location 1-11-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, The Asakusa Residence 101

Company HP https://www.toyosushachu.com/
WASAKE HP https://www.wasakexperience.com/

Contact

contact@toyosushachu.com