PHADS Co., Ltd.

PHADS Co., Ltd. (株式会社ファッズ) is a Japanese food-service company headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. It was founded on 2 May 2006 by Naoshi Sano, a former professional footballer who played in Brazil before returning to Japan to enter the restaurant business. The company operates multiple restaurant brands, most prominently the izakaya chain Shinjidai (新時代), which is known for its "Denshushi" (伝串) fried chicken skin skewers. According to the company, cumulative sales of Denshushi have exceeded 300 million skewers, and the skewer is protected by both trademark and patent rights in Japan. PHADS runs six main restaurant brands: the izakaya Shinjidai, Shinjidai 44, the yakitori brand Toribura, the Thai restaurant Sukhothai, the izakaya Tonperaya, and the Korean restaurant Nestar. The company operates both directly owned stores and franchise outlets, with franchise headquarters for Shinjidai, Shinjidai 44, and Sakaba Brazil. In 2022 the group reached 100 stores, and it has stated an ambition to grow to 1,000 stores. As of the mid-2020s, the Shinjidai group operates around 200 stores nationwide. The company's founder, Naoshi Sano, is a public-facing figure who has leveraged his football background in marketing and management. He received the 2023 Gaishoku Award in the restaurant operator category, recognized for rebuilding the large-format izakaya model and for growing six restaurant formats. Sano also founded the Sano Naoshi Cup, a national U-12 football tournament, and in 2024 he participated in a dream match of former Japan national team players, described by the company as the first time an izakaya operator had played in such a match. PHADS has also been involved in notable controversies. In 2024 the Consumer Affairs Agency issued an administrative order against the company for violating the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations (景品表示法) by displaying tax-exclusive prices as if they were tax-inclusive on restaurant review sites and social media. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sano kept stores open in defiance of requests and became the first business operator in Japan to be fined under the revised Special Measures Act, with fines amounting to tens of millions of yen. The company's name PHADS is an acronym with internal meanings: P for Partner, H for Heart, A for Agora (now), D for Dream, and S for Sanoism (professionalism). The corporate mission is to energize 1,000 towns and make everyone happy through food.

PHADS Co., Ltd. was established on 2 May 2006 by Naoshi Sano under the name PHADS World Food Plan Co., Ltd. (株式会社ファッズワールドフードプラン). Sano, born in 1975 in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, had been a professional footballer in Brazil, playing in the São Paulo state first division before retiring at age 25 due to injury. After returning to Japan, he worked for a large restaurant chain before founding his own company. In 2008, the company moved its headquarters from Kakamigahara, Gifu, to Anjo, Aichi, and changed its name to PHADS Co., Ltd. on 20 October 2008. In September 2010, the first Shinjidai izakaya opened on a roadside in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, challenging the conventional wisdom that izakayas belong near train stations. The brand grew rapidly, and its signature dish, Denshushi (fried chicken skin skewers), became a hit. The company registered "Shinjidai" as a trademark (registration number 5395155) on 4 March 2011. By the early 2020s, PHADS operated multiple restaurant brands, including Shinjidai, Shinjidai 44, Toribura (yakitori), Sukhothai (Thai), Tonperaya (duck dishes), and Nestar (Korean). In 2022, the group reached 100 stores. The company also began franchising, and in February 2022 it provided financial support to the listed company Kaiho (海帆) after concluding a franchise agreement for the Shinjidai brand. In 2023, founder Naoshi Sano received the Gaishoku Award in the restaurant operator category, recognized for his management skills in building a large organization with fast decision-making and for growing six restaurant formats. By 2024, the Shinjidai group operated around 200 stores nationwide, with the Akihabara location alone generating 1 billion yen in annual sales across two stores. In 2024, PHADS faced a regulatory order from the Consumer Affairs Agency for violating the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations by displaying tax-exclusive prices as tax-inclusive on restaurant review sites and social media. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sano kept stores open despite requests to close and became the first business operator in Japan to be fined under the revised Special Measures Act, with fines amounting to tens of millions of yen. In 2026, PHADS is scheduled to transfer 16 of 20 stores operated by Kaiho under the Shinjidai and Shinjidai 44 brands.

• Company founded as PHADS World Food Plan Co., Ltd. by Naoshi Sano.

• Headquarters moved from Kakamigahara, Gifu to Anjo, Aichi.

• Company name changed to PHADS Co., Ltd.

• First Shinjidai izakaya opens in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture.

• "Shinjidai" registered as trademark (registration number 5395155).

• Group reaches 100 stores.

• Provides financial support to listed company Kaiho after concluding franchise agreement for Shinjidai.

• Naoshi Sano receives Gaishoku Award 2023 in restaurant operator category.

• Consumer Affairs Agency issues administrative order for misleading price displays.

• Naoshi Sano plays in former Japan national team dream match.

• Scheduled transfer of 16 of 20 stores operated by Kaiho under Shinjidai and Shinjidai 44 brands.

Casual izakaya dining with original signature menu items at everyday prices, emphasizing speed of decision-making and team-based execution inspired by football.

• Denshushi (fried chicken skin skewers)

  Signature dish of Shinjidai, with cumulative sales exceeding 300 million skewers. Protected by trademark and patent rights in Japan.

• Shinjidai izakaya

  Main izakaya brand known for large-format stores and original menu items.

• Shinjidai 44

  Sister brand to Shinjidai.

• Toribura

  Yakitori restaurant brand.

• Sukhothai

  Thai restaurant certified by the Thai government.

• Tonperaya

  Duck cuisine restaurant brand.

• Nestar

  Korean restaurant brand.

1. 1株式会社ファッズ [ PHAD'S ]phads.jp
2. 2全てのニュースphads.jp
3. 3ファッズ創業者、代表取締役社長『佐野直史』「外食アワード 2023」外食事業者部門を受賞phads.jp
4. 4【史上初！居酒屋の経営者が日本代表戦に出場】サッカー元日本代表が集いドリームマッチを開催。居酒屋新時代の創業者『さのなおし』がピッチに登場！！phads.jp
5. 5PHADS - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6ファッズ - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org