Ten years ago, in October 1996.
We opened “Yakiniku Stadium Jan” in yet another shady back alley just off Ikebukuro’s West Exit.
This restaurant was based on the concept of “cheap and tasty,” offering reasonably priced cuts like trimmings that couldn’t be used at Kurogo.
This store is a three-story building with a total floor area of 7 tsubo.
It started as a small structure with the first and second floors as the shop and the third floor as the office, but within a year, reservations flooded in.
Eventually, the third floor was expanded into additional shop space, turning it into a hugely successful establishment.
Riding high on its success, “Jan” opened its second location the following year in the basement level behind Sunshine Street, fulfilling a long-held dream.
Thanks to everyone’s support, this shop also became hugely popular, bustling daily with many customers.
Currently, Gen-san, who served as Vice President at Kurogo for many years, has gone independent and now manages this “Jean” location.
Around that time, I happened to see a TV program at home that introduced a company called “Yamato Manufacturing” in Kagawa Prefecture.
This company not only made noodle-making machines but also ran a “Udon School” for people aiming to start their own business.
“This is it!” I thought, and that very day I resolved to open a udon restaurant specializing in “meat udon.”
Continue reading Kuro5 Birth Story: Episode 15
Wagyu Yakiniku Kuro5
IKEBUKURO Main Restrant
1F Shima 100 building ,2-46-3, Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku , Tokyo 171-0014
https://en.kuro5.net/restaurant/honten
Wagyu Yakiniku Kuro5
IKEBUKURO East Exit Restrant
2F Need Building, 1-42-16 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013
https://en.kuro5.net/restaurant/higashiguchi
Wagyu Yakiniku KURO5
Kabukicho
1F Sankei Building, 2-21-4 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
https://en.kuro5.net/restaurant/kabukicho
Official Instagram: @kuro5yakiniku
