OSAKA - One of Osaka’s oldest cafes has closed, highlighting how a record surge in restaurant bankruptcies is sweeping up even long-established eateries.
According to a survey released in December 2025, the number of food and beverage businesses that went bankrupt between January and November 2025 reached 820, putting the full-year total on track to set a new record. The trend is now affecting long-running establishments that have long been part of the local food culture.
In one case, a cafe said to be the oldest in Osaka shut down after its aging building required reconstruction, a cost the business could not cover with its modest profits. A well-known udon restaurant beloved by many famous comedians also closed as its owner grew older, with similar cases becoming increasingly common.
What these two establishments share, however, is the emergence of successors. The cafe’s successor plans to reopen in a different location through a temporary leasing arrangement, while the udon shop’s successor successfully recreated a once-lost flavor, leading to the development of a multi-store operation.
Even as locations and names change, the appeal of these renowned eateries is being passed down, underscoring how the essence of a “famous shop” can endure beyond its original form.
Source: KTV NEWS
