VOL.206 AUGUST 2025
THE APPEAL OF YOSHOKU: JAPANESE-STYLE WESTERN CUISINE (PART 1)
Family restaurants: Supporting the spread of Yoshoku in Japan
An example of a family enjoying a meal at a family restaurant.
In Japan, there is a unique style of dining called the ‘family restaurant,’ where customers can enjoy a wide variety of dishes that are served quickly and at reasonable prices. We spoke with a member of an industry association to learn more about the development of this dining style.
Family restaurants operate under a chain-restaurant system1 and offer a wide variety of dishes—including yoshoku (Japanese-style Western cuisine), standard Western dishes, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, and desserts—at relatively affordable prices. A member of the Japan Foodservice Association, which supports the entire industry with about 800 member companies, shared insights into the history of family restaurants.
“In 1970, Japan’s first family restaurant, Skylark,2 opened its first location in Fuchu City, Tokyo. Modeled after American roadside diners,3 this restaurant became popular as a new style of dining out called the ‘family restaurant,’ where customers could enjoy a wide menu of dishes, including special dishes not typically prepared at home, all at affordable prices.
“At that time, Japan was in a period of rapid economic growth,4 and people’s lives were becoming more affluent. Private car ownership was beginning to spread among ordinary households. To accommodate these lifestyle changes, family restaurants with spacious parking lots gradually appeared in suburban areas.”
Following Skylark’s opening in 1970, various family restaurants opened across Japan in the years that followed. Family restaurants established a dining-out style where families visit by car and have since become widely loved under the nickname famiresu.5
Photo: Skylark
Photo: Skylark
“A major factor behind Western cuisine—once only enjoyed at hotels or high-end restaurants—becoming affordable for families was the development of family restaurants. Along with pleasant service and clean, bright, and comfortable spaces, family restaurants offer an inviting atmosphere and service where even families with young children can feel at ease. They provide delicious meals at reasonable prices. Thanks to the efforts of each company, family restaurants have grown,” says the association member.
Family restaurants attract a broad range of customers—not only families but students, senior citizens, and even those dining alone. Their extensive menus make it easy for people with dietary restrictions, such as those based on religious beliefs, to find suitable options. They offer the pleasure of sharing a variety of dishes among groups, too. Moreover, family restaurants are convenient for many occasions, from lunch and afternoon tea to evening meals with drinks. At the popular drink bar, customers can enjoy as many beverages as they like from a wide selection.
“Family restaurants in Japan evolved by drawing inspiration from overseas chain restaurants, adapting to create a uniquely Japanese style. Their appeal lies in offering a wide variety of cuisine, including yoshoku, standard Western, Japanese, and Chinese dishes, at affordable prices. I hope that visitors from abroad who experience family restaurants in Japan will take those memories to heart and share them in their home countries.”
Examples of dishes provided at family restaurants. These include yoshoku, standard Western, Japanese, and Chinese dishes.
Photo: ISHIZAWA Yoji
- 1. A business model born in the United States that unifies brand, management policies, and service content while expanding through multiple locations.
- 2. One of Japan’s largest family restaurant chains, owning multiple brands such as Gusto and Jonathan’s. The company name Skylark remains, but the original flagship restaurant called Skylark no longer exists.
- 3. A popular type of dining restaurant mainly found in North America.
- 4. The period from around 1955 to 1973 when Japan experienced rapid economic growth.
- 5. An abbreviation for ‘family restaurant.’ It is often used as a familiar, shortened term.
By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: Skylark; ISHIZAWA Yoji; PIXTA