Kura Sushi cancels Chiikawa campaign due to employee misconduct

Kura Sushi has announced the immediate cancellation of its collaboration campaign with the popular character Chiikawa due to employee misconduct. Following an internal investigation, the company confirmed that employees were involved in the embezzlement and unauthorized resale of limited-edition prizes, such as figures, magnets, and badges, which had been appearing in large quantities on flea market sites.

The company stated that the investigation was prompted by social media reports questioning the availability of certain items from the ‘Bikkura Pon!’ lottery system. While Kura Sushi has indicated that the misconduct may be isolated to a single store and is consulting with police, the entire national campaign—originally scheduled to run until September 30—has been terminated. This includes the cancellation of collaboration menus, special tableware giveaways, and in-store decorations.

To apologize for the disruption, Kura Sushi is offering a 10% discount on all items at its locations on September 6 and 7. The incident has sparked significant discussion regarding store management and oversight in an industry facing chronic labor shortages.