Today's news. Nebraska upset over Japan beef ban, Japanese panel: more study needed before reopening to U.S.
beef . I don't know how the US media treated this article a few weeks ago, but it was big in top
page on Yahoo Japan. The US cattlemen would have
a hard time because of ban, also some Japanese company is in survival mode
too.
Do you know beef bowl Yoshinoya had experienced
bankruptcy once in 1980 because of too-rapid extension of business. But
they could rebuild business by radical structural reforming by themselves.
They keep "single item policy" =beef bowl and work for drastic
efficiency driving of business, each shop. They made a strict
manual and also each staff in shop has training for "how to have a
bowl, learn size of rice, how to ladle beef and soup". Since
that their revitalization was so quick and amazing. Some books about
Yoshinoya
have been published, also Yoshinoya beef bowl game looks so funny, when you
serve a bowl nice and quick to
customer, beef bowl will shine! pika pika pika! Anyway such
Yoshinoya have really tough time again. Here is their financial report, they sank into the red again.
They are doing
their best, serving pork bowl, chicken bowl, but people need beef bowl.
When they sold beef bowl only a day in Feb 2005,
there was a long line in each shop.
And there are shops which have more serious damage. Sendai city in Miyagi Pref is well know as their beef tongue dish. They have "a beef tongue street" and every night people enjoyed soft delicious tongue around there. But now 60% of beef tongue restaurants had to be closed. Only 40% of restaurants can keep their business in this crisis with Aussie beef. But they say the price of Aussie beef tongue has risen 10 times before, things are getting more and more difficult.
I heard Japan's drug legislation is strict. Actually my American friends complain, he can't get stick type deodorants, and I don't know about a level of food-safety. I will talk about that to him (Hi! Martin. Thanks for your great blog). As a member of the general consuming public, I need a safety beef. I will buy and eat safety beef.
Does anyone still read this blog? I live in Guam, and would love to open Yoshinoya-style restaurant. Me and Japanese friend have been experimenting with recipe but can't get it exactly right.
We'd pay if someone could find us a Yoshinoya operations manual.
Posted by: Robert Morein | Friday, March 30, 2007 at 02:56 PM
Well, as far as I can tell, the closest Yoshinoya to me is down in Silicon Valley (San Jose, California).
I've been to Yoshinoya in LA recently, but it just dun taste the same. That is why I said that I miss gyudon...that is, the Yoshinoya they serve in Japan!
Was watching Samurai Champloo and characters went to Yoshinoya to eat. Except time period is during Edo period!!!
Posted by: abraxis | Monday, August 29, 2005 at 08:53 AM
There is a very good gyuudon and kare raiisu chain in Denver called Kokoro. I miss that, and Oshima Ramen, which was the only branch of that ramen shop outside of Tokyo. There are days when I want to go to Denver just to eat at those places, not to see any of my friends there or anything else... Shame on me! I have not found anywhere in Chicago that serves such food, although there is quite a large Japanese population, not even near Mitsuwa Marketplace. Kare raiisu is easy, thanks to S&B and House Brand, but ramen and gyuudon are less soと思います。
Posted by: クレア (Claire) | Monday, August 29, 2005 at 02:13 AM
Hi there.
Japanese are also over react for Yoshinoya(not for BSE I think), We never thought beef bowl dissapear from Yoshinoya so easily. But it happened. It happened then we realized howw BSE problem is such serious issue. I felt like that.
Posted by: Mari | Monday, August 29, 2005 at 12:56 AM
I'd give my left arm for a Yoshinoya in Oregon. :(
Posted by: Brad | Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 04:33 PM
Yeah, I miss gyudon too!
Posted by: abraxis | Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 12:34 PM
There was more than one case of mad cow from Canada.
In fact, the mad cow that caused Japan to block beef imports from the US, came FROM CANADA.
Pretty ironic how people forget that, eh?
Posted by: abraxis | Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 12:30 PM
It is pretty ironic that the US cattle industry is upset about this, after they tried so hard to block Canadian beef imports to America after only ONE case of mad cow disease. Seems they are only interested in free trade when it benefits themselves financially.
Posted by: マイク | Saturday, August 27, 2005 at 06:41 PM