- Business
- Skylark Holdings Co., Ltd. operates as Japan's largest directly-managed table service restaurant chain, managing over 3,000 restaurants nationwide that serve approximately 300 million guests annually; the company provides family dining experiences through a diverse portfolio of brands including Gusto family restaurants, Bamiyan Chinese cuisine, Shabu-Yo shabu-shabu, Jonathan's casual dining, Yumean buffet-style, Steak Gusto steak houses, Sukesan udon specialists, Karayoshi yakiniku, Grazie Gardens Italian, Aiya cafes, Musashi no Mori Coffee, S Gusto grilled meats, Totoyamichi, chawan, Tonkaratei tonkatsu, La Ohana Hawaiian, Yumean Shokudo, Tomato and Onion, Jyu-Jyu Karubi yakiniku, and FLO PRESTIGE fine dining. Skylark Holdings engages in integrated food services encompassing product development, procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and delivery of foodstuffs; it also offers ancillary services such as linen supply, store maintenance and cleaning, site development for restaurants, and food delivery operations. The company maintains a vertically integrated supply chain to ensure affordable, high-quality meals across Japanese, Western, Chinese, Italian, and other cuisines, targeting general consumers in casual dining segments.
Founded in 1962 as Kotobuki Foods with its first store in Hibarigaoka, Tokyo, and headquartered in Musashino, Japan, Skylark Holdings formerly known as Skylark Co., Ltd. changed its name in July 2018 to reflect its holding company structure; it operates primarily in Japan with additional presence in Taiwan, Malaysia, and the United States through subsidiaries like Skylark Restaurants Co., Ltd. The restaurant business constitutes its single reportable segment, with supportive operations in food sales and group company services.
In recent developments, Skylark Holdings acquired Sukesan K.K., operator of the Sukesan udon chain, from Unison Capital in October 2024 to expand its noodle offerings and strengthen its multi-brand strategy. The company introduced off-site PPA solar power services at 20 stores in the Kanto area on October 24, 2025, and commenced green power supply utilizing renewable sources on September 25, 2025, advancing its sustainability initiatives. These moves align with ongoing efforts to optimize over 3,000 locations by adapting brands to demographic trends and enhancing operational efficiency through its scale.