Bashamichi

Bashamichi Corporation (株式会社馬車道) is a Japanese food-service company headquartered in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture. It began in October 1972 as a small yakiniku (grilled-meat) restaurant called 'Taikō' with only about 10 tsubo of floor space, three tables and eight counter seats. The company was incorporated as Taikō Co., Ltd. in November 1975, opened its first 'Bashamichi' spaghetti restaurant in 1982, and changed its corporate name to Bashamichi Co., Ltd. in October 1987. Over the following decades it expanded into a multi-brand restaurant group, reaching 100 stores and ¥10 billion in sales in 2000, and today operates ten brands spanning Western-style food, Japanese cuisine, yakiniku, and karaage, with 105 stores across all seven prefectures of the Kanto region as of October 1, 2024. The flagship 'Bashamichi' brand is a family restaurant with a deliberately retro atmosphere, described as a 'family specialty restaurant' evoking a Meiji-era Western-style building, with an interior reminiscent of a coffee shop. Some stores display wooden signs reading 'open' and 'closed' at the entrance. Waitstaff uniforms evoke Meiji- and Taishō-era schoolgirls, with arrow-feather patterned kimono and hakama; part-time staff wear purple, floor leaders (full-time employees) wear grey, and a blue uniform is used for new store openings. The group's other brands include Pizzeria Bashamichi (wood-fired pizza), Modern Pasta, Caprimone (casual Italian), Tokujuan and Yasōan (Japanese family dining), Kurobeiya, Ikinakurobei, Renkatei and Seiji (yakiniku), and Torisai (karaage). The company is led by representative director and president Shōichi Kimura. As of October 1, 2024 it employed 250 full-time staff and 2,742 partners, and operated 105 stores in Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gunma, Tochigi and Ibaraki. Its stated philosophy is 'to make people's joy our own joy,' and it pursues three commitments: delicious food, pleasant service, and a comfortable space. The group also runs takeout, delivery, catering, and an online store on Rakuten Ichiba.

Bashamichi Corporation traces its origins to October 1972, when its founder—who had no prior experience working in a restaurant—opened a small yakiniku restaurant in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture. The shop occupied only about 10 tsubo (roughly 33 square meters) and had three tables and eight counter seats. In November 1975 the business was incorporated as Taikō Co., Ltd. (株式会社太閣). In July 1982 the company opened the first 'Bashamichi' store, the Kamakura-chō branch, launching its Western-food business as a spaghetti specialty restaurant. In October 1987 the corporate name was changed from Taikō Co., Ltd. to Bashamichi Co., Ltd. (株式会社馬車道). In June 1993 it opened the Haikara-tei Ageo Koizumi store, converting the 'Yakiniku Taikō' format into 'Haikara-tei' and establishing a yakiniku restaurant format. In February 1995 it opened the Modern Shokudō Kumagaya Shinjima store, the prototype of 'Modern Pasta,' establishing a casual Italian format. The company reached ¥10 billion in sales in September 2000 and 100 stores in December 2000. In December 2001 it opened the Tokujuan Gyōda store, launching its Japanese-food business. In July 2003 it built and relocated its head-office factory in Kumagaya, Saitama. In September 2007 it launched the new 'Pizzeria Bashamichi' business. In October 2012 it celebrated its 40th anniversary with a group-wide campaign. In April 2014 it launched the new yakiniku brand 'Renkatei,' and in September 2014 it opened a new-type 'Bashamichi' store at Namegawa Mall. In 2017 it opened the 'Torisai' Shinsayama store as a new business. In 2022 it marked its 50th anniversary. By October 2024 the company operated 105 stores across all seven prefectures of the Kanto region (Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki) and employed 250 full-time staff and 2,742 partners. It has continued to renew and renovate stores, as shown by 2026 notices for the renewal of Pizzeria Bashamichi Okegawa, temporary closure of Renkatei Kawaguchi Angyō, and renovation closure of Tokujuan Saitama Miyahara.

• Founded as a small yakiniku restaurant 'Taikō' in Kumagaya, Saitama

• Incorporated as Taikō Co., Ltd.

• First 'Bashamichi' store (Kamakura-chō) opens, launching spaghetti specialty business

• Corporate name changed from Taikō Co., Ltd. to Bashamichi Co., Ltd.

• 'Haikara-tei' Ageo Koizumi store opens, establishing yakiniku restaurant format

• 'Modern Shokudō' Kumagaya Shinjima store opens, prototype of Modern Pasta

• Reached ¥10 billion in sales

• Reached 100 stores

• 'Tokujuan' Gyōda store opens, launching Japanese-food business

• New head-office factory built and relocated in Kumagaya, Saitama

• New business 'Pizzeria Bashamichi' launched

• 40th anniversary; group-wide campaign held

• New yakiniku brand 'Renkatei' launched

• New-type 'Bashamichi' store opens at Namegawa Mall

• 'Torisai' Shinsayama store opens as a new business

• 50th anniversary

• 105 stores across all seven Kanto prefectures; 250 full-time staff and 2,742 partners

Multi-brand restaurant group offering retro-themed family dining and diverse Japanese/Western cuisine across the Kanto region.

• Restaurant Bashamichi

• Pizzeria Bashamichi

• Modern Pasta

• Caprimone

• Tokujuan

• Yasōan

• Kurobeiya

• Ikinakurobei

• Renkatei

• Seiji

• Torisai

1. 1馬車道オフィシャルサイトbashamichi.co.jp
2. 2馬車道オフィシャルサイト | 馬車道の歩みbashamichi.co.jp
3. 3馬車道オフィシャルサイト | 企業情報bashamichi.co.jp
4. 4Wikipedia: 馬車道 (レストラン)ja.wikipedia.org
5. 5Wikidata: Bashamichiwikidata.org