Chiikawa: Kura Sushi Ends Campaign After Employee Misconduct

Kura Sushi is ending its ongoing Chiikawa campaign starting September 6, after the chain found misconduct by its own employees during an internal investigation. The promotion, originally scheduled to run until September 30, is therefore being cancelled entirely.

As KAI-YOU reports, the halt covers every component of the collaboration. This includes the Chiikawa figures, acrylic magnets, and buttons from the "Bikkura Pon!" prize game, the drinking cups currently being handed out, and the sushi plates planned for later. The two collaboration dishes, a lottery, and the special store decorations are also being discontinued.

Complaints Led to an Internal Investigation

The move follows several days of public criticism. Customers had reported on social networks that, despite numerous wins in the "Bikkura Pon!" system, they had not received any of the coveted figures. At the same time, large quantities of the limited items appeared on the Japanese marketplace Mercari.

Kura Sushi initially stated on September 2 that it was reviewing the storage and distribution of the prizes. After completing that review, the company announced on September 5 that misconduct by its own employees had been identified. The company has not yet said which specific actions were proven or how many people were involved.

The campaign launched on August 21 and was set to run in several phases until the end of September. The collaboration was part of a series of promotions around the Chiikawa franchise, which has grown considerably. In Japan, the franchise's first theatrical film is currently in cinemas and has already reached 12.2 billion yen at the box office. In addition, volume 9 of the Chiikawa manga is announced for November.

The Kura Sushi promotion is therefore ending not because items sold out or because of regular scheduling, but as a direct result of the internal investigation. The company has not yet published further details about the misconduct it identified.