News Discussion

Takoyaki Takes a Hit as 'Flour-Based' Restaurants See Record Bankruptcies

The number of bankruptcies among restaurants specializing in flour-based foods such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki reached a record high in 2025, according to a survey by Tokyo Shoko Research. These foods are known collectively in Japanese as "konamon."

A total of 28 such businesses went under, up 33% from 2024 and the highest figure since the survey began in 2009. Rising prices for ingredients such as wheat flour were cited as the main cause. By region, Osaka, where konamon is considered a local soul food, recorded the highest number with 11 cases.

The survey counted bankruptcies involving liabilities of ¥10 million JPY (around $65,000 USD) or more and included yakisoba restaurants. Total liabilities rose to ¥1.774 billion ($11.6 million), about 3.3 times higher than in 2024. By business size, small operators with capital of less than ¥10 million accounted for more than 90% of the total, or 26 cases.

Tokyo Shoko Research said the bankruptcies were driven by soaring costs, including key ingredients such as wheat flour, eggs, mayonnaise, and vegetables, as well as higher utility and labor expenses. While konamon dishes remain popular with inbound tourists, whose numbers reached a record 39 million as of November 2025, strong demand from overseas visitors has not been enough to offset rising costs.

Yoshihiko Nitta of Tokyo Shoko Research's Kansai branch said bankruptcies in Osaka's food and beverage sector were kept in check during Expo 2025 but have begun to rise since the event ended. He added that the decline in Chinese tourists is also weighing on the industry and that the impact is likely to spread gradually, particularly among small, independent restaurants.

A representative of an okonomiyaki restaurant in Osaka City said konamon dishes take longer to prepare than many people expect because they must be cooked carefully, which limits customer turnover. To cope with rising costs, the restaurant has reduced portion sizes and switched to less expensive ingredients.

Meanwhile, IDEA Co, which operates the okonomiyaki chain Tsuruhashi Fugetsu, has been working to stabilize prices by securing vegetables through long-term contracts with partner farmers.

A company representative said, "Konamon is casual food for everyday customers. If we raise prices every time ingredient costs increase, people will stop coming. We are managing this through our own efforts as a company."

1. 1. bankruptcy 倒産
   Several bankruptcies in the town caused many workers to lose their jobs.
2. 2. liability 負債
   The company’s liabilities were greater than its total profits.
3. 3. rise 上昇する
   The number of online shoppers continues to rise each year.
4. 4. decline 減少
   There has been a decline in the number of traffic accidents in the last ten years.
5. 5. stabilize 安定させる
   The government introduced new policies to stabilize the national economy.

1. 1. How many konamon businesses went bankrupt in 2025?
2. 2. What were some of the main costs that increased for these restaurants?
3. 3. What change did one Osaka restaurant make to cope with rising costs?
4. 4. Why do you think small businesses are more affected by rising costs?
5. 5. How should restaurants balance price increases and customer satisfaction?

お好み焼きやたこ焼きなど「粉もん」の店の2025年の倒産件数が、前年比33％増の28件に上り、調査開始の09年以来過去最多となったことが東京商工リサーチの調査で明らかになった。小麦粉をはじめとした原材料費の値上がりなど物価高が主な要因で、地域別では、粉もんが〝ソウルフード〟とされる大阪が11件で最も多かった。

焼きそば店を含む負債額1千万円以上の倒産件数を集計。負債総額は前年比3・3倍の17億7400万円に上った。規模別では、資本金1千万円未満の小規模事業者が9割超の26件だった。

東京商工リサーチの分析では、原材料となる小麦粉や卵、マヨネーズ、野菜などの食材に加え、光熱費や人件費の高騰が倒産の要因とみられる。粉もんはインバウンド（訪日客）にも人気が高く、昨年11月時点で3900万人超と過去最多を更新するなどインバウンド需要は好調だが、カバーできていない。

東京商工リサーチ関西支社情報部の新田善彦氏は「大阪・関西万博が開催されていたころは大阪の飲食業の倒産件数は抑えられていたが、閉幕後は増え始めている。中国人観光客の減少もマイナス材料で、物価高への対抗が難しい個人店を中心に影響がじわじわと広がりそうだ」と語る。

悲痛「値上げするとお客さん離れる」

大阪市内のお好み焼き店の関係者によると、粉もんは丁寧に焼き上げるなど調理に意外と時間がかかるため、客の回転率はよくないという。この店では具材の量を減らしたり、価格の安いものを使うなどで物価高をしのいでいるという。

一方、お好み焼き店チェーン「鶴橋風月」を展開するイデア（大阪市天王寺区）は、野菜を契約農家との長期契約で仕入れることで価格の安定に努めている。同社の担当者は「粉もんは庶民が楽しむ外食なので、原材料費が上がったからと、どんどん値上げをするとお客さんが離れてしまう。企業努力で対応している」と話した。