Next-generation Restaurant Model “Kura Sushi Osaka Kansai Expo Store” Completed To Open in “Future Life Zone” on April 13 (Sun.)!

OSAKA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 26, 2025--

Kura Sushi Inc. (Headquarters: Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture), one of the world’s most popular conveyor-belt sushi chains, announced that it will open its largest-ever Kura Sushi restaurant with a strong focus on sustainability at the Future Life Zone of the Osaka-Kansai Expo on Sunday, April 13, 2025.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250325146381/en/

The Kura Sushi Osaka Kansai Expo Store is the largest such store ever built, with 338 seats, the most in the history of Kura Sushi, and the longest revolving belt at about 135 meters. The exterior design is simple, with namako walls reminiscent of the company’s symbolic storehouse and a large image of tuna nigiri in the “Antibacterial Sushi Cover Mr. Freshness” that protects the sushi from airborne dust and viruses. The interior has a luxurious, modern Japanese design with wood-grained tables and backs and tatami-style seating surfaces, and a bold graphic depiction of a giant plate on the ceiling.

The exterior walls are made of “plaster without artificial substances,” which is made by reusing 336,000 shells that would otherwise be discarded and using glue and other ingredients made from seaweed. For the pictograms at the cash register counters and restrooms, a total of about 100 kg of discarded plastic bottle caps and milky-white polyethylene tanks were used, reducing CO 2 emissions to about one-third of what would be produced by incineration. In addition, a part of the seat numbers and the logo sign in the wind shelter are made of about 15 kg in total of recycled fishing equipment such as ropes, buoys, and baskets. The benches in the waiting area are made of cedar trees thinned in Japan. The “Bikkura Pon®” capsules and other items that visitors can take home with them are also recycled and take-out containers are made of environmentally friendly materials, with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In addition, the restaurant is equipped with a system that enhances customer convenience and comfort, with a system that improves hygiene and quality control by utilizing AI and ICT technologies developed over many years, and is the only major conveyor-belt sushi chain to have achieved this. It is a state-of-the-art restaurant that combines the latest technology with the pursuit of “serving by conveyor belt,” which can only be realized by a major conveyor belt sushi chain.

Along with the regular sushi menu, the restaurant will also offer a sustainable menu that utilizes low-use fish, such as nizadai, as part of its efforts to promote sustainable fishing, as well as a 70-course menu that recreates dishes representative of 70 countries and regions.

At the press conference, Hiroyuki Okamoto, Director and General Manager of Public Relations, Advertising and Investor Relations Division, said, “We are the only major conveyor-belt sushi chain to serve sushi from our conveyor belts at all of our restaurants. Our concept is to provide a place where visitors from all over the world can have an enjoyable dining experience filled with smiles. We will also introduce to the world a “next-generation restaurant model” that combines sustainable elements with cutting-edge technology, and bring the revolving sushi culture that originated in Japan to as many people as possible.”

As of the end of February, Kura Sushi Inc. operates 546 restaurants in Japan, 73 in the United States, 59 in Taiwan, and 3 in Shanghai.

[ Features of Kura Sushi Osaka Kansai Expo Store ]

[ Store Outline ]

HP: https://www.kurasushi.co.jp/2025expo/

Organic Hamachi: Sustainable menu offerings that can be realized through longstanding fishery creation efforts

Nizadai: Sustainable menu offerings that can be realized through longstanding fishery creation efforts

Takeouts: Introduction of environmentally friendly “Bikkura Pon!®” capsules and take-out containers introduced

Bikkura Pon!: Introduction of environmentally friendly “Bikkura Pon!®” capsules and take-out containers introduced

Register Counter: Initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact through the use of discarded materials

Logo signs: Initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact through the use of discarded materials

Interior: With the largest number of seats and the longest revolving belt in the history of Kura Sushi, offers an enjoyable dining experience with sushi that only Kura Sushi revolving sushi can provide.

Shells to be discarded used for exterior

Kura Sushi’s first special menu featuring dishes representing 70 countries and regions! ⓒ Expo_2025

Healthy Roll: Sustainable menu offerings that can be realized through longstanding fishery creation efforts

Appearance: Sustainable store that uses “plaster with no artificial materials” for exterior wall material that reuses “seashells” that would otherwise be discarded.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.

Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.

It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.

“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”

Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.

Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.

In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.

“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.

He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.

New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.

“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”

This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.

Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.

“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.

“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”

The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.

The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.

After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.

Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.

The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.

Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.

“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.

The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.

With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.

Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.

The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.

Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.

Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.

Chargers: End of season.

Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, left, catches a pass next to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) and carries it in for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) celebrates a tackle in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, rear, in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)