New 9,437-square foot restaurant is first “Japan culture promotion” branch outside Japan.

In Japan, the big four revolving sushi restaurant chains, Kura Sushi, Kappa Sushi, Hama Sushi, and Sushiro, are all fierce competitors. Outside Japan, though, Kura is clearly the leader of the pack, with far more overseas branches and presence than its rivals in the kaiten sushi (as revolving sushi is called in Japanese) sector.

With sushi, and Kura Sushi, becoming increasingly popular in other countries, the chain isn’t being timid with its newest overseas branch, as the just-opened location in the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung is the biggest Kura Sushi restaurant in the whole world!

▼ Kaohsiung Kura Sushi

The new Kaohsiung branch holds that title both in terms of floor space and seat number, as the 876.75-square meter (9,437-square foot) restaurant can accommodate 288 simultaneous sushi diners.

In addition to being the biggest anywhere, the Kaohsiung Kura, which opened on May 9, is also the first of the chain’s “Japan culture promotion branches” outside Japan. These flagship branches, located in places where a significant number of diners are non-Japanese (such as Tokyo’s Asakusa and Harajuku neighborhoods), put extra effort into their exterior and interior design to shine the spotlight on Japanese art and aesthetics.

In the case of the Kaohsiung branch, there are rows of chochin, traditional Japanese paper lanterns, lined up at the entrance, plus a massive three-meter (9.8-foot) lantern hanging from the restaurant’s ceiling.

The waiting area features more lanterns and an ukiyo-e woodblock print-style mural…

…and there’s even a corner for Japanese ennichi carnival games, such as senbonkuji prize drawing and target shooting, which players can win Kura Sushi mugs and other items from.

Even the classy looking furniture has a Japanese touch to it, as instead of leather or cloth upholstery, the seat coverings are Japanese-style tatami reed matting.

Between the restaurant’s stylish looks, sense of fun, and ample seating, the Kaohsiung Kura looks like a great place for preexisting sushi fans and newbies alike, and here’s hoping their shrimp sushi is as delicious as it is at Kura branches in Japan.

Related: Kura Sushi Kaohsiung
Source: Kura Sushi via Gadget Tsushin via Livedoor News via Jin
Images: Kura Sushi
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