'No need to go to Tokyo': Japanese cult eateries make their Korean debut

Japanese restaurants popular among Korean tourists are opening locations in South Korea in rapid succession, as fading anti-Japanese sentiment and growing enthusiasm for Japanese brands — spanning characters, fashion and beyond — have convinced operators that the market is ready.

The food and beverage industry said Monday that Japanese monjayaki restaurant Mohezi recently launched an official Korean Instagram account and announced it will open its first Korean location in Jongno on Aug. 7. Mohezi has built a strong reputation by word of mouth among Korean tourists visiting Japan as a must-try dining destination.

Monjayaki is a Tokyo-style teppan dish made by pouring a thin starch batter onto a hot iron griddle and cooking it with ingredients such as cabbage and pollock roe until it thickens into a savory, slightly runny pancake. Less well known than okonomiyaki — the Japanese savory pancake — it has recently begun attracting dedicated restaurants in Seoul's Gangnam and Hongdae areas.

Tsujihan, a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) restaurant long considered a must-visit stop on any Tokyo itinerary, is also heading to Korea. The restaurant is preparing its Korean launch in partnership with a domestic food and beverage franchise company, with staff recruitment already underway. It plans to open its first location near Dosan Park in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, by the end of next month.

These are not the first Japanese eateries to make the move. Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa, a Nagoya-based eel rice bowl restaurant, began its Korean expansion in 2024 with an opening at the House of Shinsegae inside Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch, and has since expanded to Yeouido, Magok and Busan.

Other recent arrivals include Daizan Sushi, a leading sushi brand from Nagasaki; Joto Curry, a Japanese curry specialist; and Hinikiku to Kome, a Hamburg steak restaurant from Fukuoka. Domestic food and beverage companies have also entered the space — SL&C, the food and beverage arm of Samchully ENG, brought Japanese sushi brand Itamae Sushi to Korea last year and has since expanded to four locations.

Dessert brands are also making inroads. I'm Donut, a Japanese bakery known for long queues, entered the Korean market last year with stores in Seongsu and Hongdae, and earlier this month opened a counter at Sweet Park inside Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch. Imoya Kinjiro, a sweet potato confectionery brand from Fukuoka, arrived in Korea in October last year and currently operates two stores in Apgujeong and Yeouido.

Industry observers point above all to rising affinity for Japan among younger Korean consumers. Japanese brands are seeing strong demand across a wide range of categories — from character merchandise such as Pokémon and Monchhichi to fashion labels including Uniqlo. Japanese dessert brands sold through convenience stores have also proven popular.

"As more people travel to Japan, awareness of Japanese restaurants has grown and preference for Japanese brands has risen," an industry official said. "As F&B brands have built one successful precedent after another in Korea, the barriers to entry have come down for those looking to follow."