Korean dining franchises are tapping into the Japanese market as a key hub for overseas growth, as restaurant and cafe markets appear to be reaching saturation domestically.
Fast food chain Mom's Touch announced Monday that it will open a new store near Harajuku Station, a prime commercial district in Tokyo, during the first half of this year. Meanwhile, coffee specialty shop Hollys announced the opening of its second Japanese location in Osaka's business district Honmachi on March 6.
The upcoming Harajuku Mom’s Touch will be the company’s second directly operated store in Japan, following the launch of Shibuya Mom’s Touch in April last year. The new location will feature 300 seats, making it the largest Mom’s Touch location globally.
The Shibuya store attracted over 500,000 cumulative visitors by December, eight months after its opening, and has current daily foot traffic of around 2,000 customers, according to company data.
"Japan has long held symbolic importance in the global dining industry," a Mom’s Touch official said. "On top of its high GDP (gross domestic product), Tokyo is recognized as a leading market in the global restaurant scene, with a particularly refined and sophisticated food culture. It is widely acknowledged in the industry that success in Japan attracts attention from other global market players and investors, meaning more opportunities globally."
While the Shibuya store primarily caters to office workers, the new Harajuku store is meant to attract tourists and younger generations, the official explained.
Meanwhile, Hollys is accelerating its expansion in Japan with the launch of its second store in Honmachi, Osaka. The Honmachi store drew some 800 visitors on its opening day. Within a week, around 3,000 customers had visited the cafe.
Industry experts credit the success to preserving "K-cafe" concept services, featuring power outlets, wireless internet access, single-person seating and diverse deli lineups and lunch options designed for office workers.
"The newly coined Japanese term 'koseupa,' short for 'cost performance,' highlights the balance between quality and cost," according to a local source in the food industry, who wished to remain unnamed.
"The term has become a key consumer trend due to Japan's prolonged economic downturn. Rather than simply chasing the lowest price, Japanese consumers prioritize the quality of the food when they dine outside. Only brands that can strike this balance will thrive in the market."
Alongside the success of Korean restaurant franchises, Korean food has been gaining increased exposure in Japan through promotional efforts.
At the 2025 Japan Tokyo International Food Exhibition, Asia’s largest food expo held from March 11 to 14, 16 Korean small and medium-sized enterprises joined the Korean Pavilion. They conducted 350 export consultations, securing $47 million in potential deals and $18 million in contract negotiations, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.
hykim@heraldcorp.com
