Japanese yakitori chain “Torikizoku” is entering the Philippine market. Its first store is scheduled to open on October 12, 2026, at Serendra in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City, Metro Manila.
Torikizoku was founded in Osaka in 1985 and has a network of more than 600 stores in Japan. It operates a format that serves food and drinks centered on yakitori at a uniform price, and its official Japanese website currently advertises every item at 390 yen including tax.
Its local partner is JTC Group of Companies, based in Davao on the island of Mindanao. Its parent company, Eternal Hospitality Group, announced on October 24, 2025 that it had resolved to enter into a franchise (FC) agreement with JTC.
JTC was founded in 1986 and is engaged in food service, resort development, IT, and other businesses. The Japanese side cites JTC’s commitment to its food-service franchise business and its record of collaboration with many Japanese companies as reasons for the partnership. The paid-in capital at the time of the announcement was 100 million pesos, but this is JTC’s own capital and not the amount invested in Torikizoku’s entry. The announcement states that there is no capital relationship between the two companies.
Ahead of the opening, guidance featuring the yellow mascot “Torikki” was set up around Serendra, directing people through QR codes to information and reservation details, and a local-oriented call, “Toriki Tayo,” has been rolled out. Beyond yakitori, the effort aims to build awareness of the restaurant as a place where friends can enjoy food and conversation together.
This entry is part of the “Global YAKITORI Family” initiative to spread Japan’s yakitori culture around the world. Having expanded to the United States and East Asia, the group regards Southeast Asia as a growth market, and has chosen to set up a subsidiary in Vietnam and to use a franchise arrangement with a local company in the Philippines.
Going forward, the focus will be whether it can establish prices and quality that local customers will return for. While the combination of the Japanese side’s cooking and customer-service know-how with JTC’s local experience is expected to be an advantage, ingredient sourcing, staff training, and quality control will be important. The investment amount and concrete plans for a second and later stores have not been confirmed this time, and the first store at Serendra will be the starting point for gauging future expansion.
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