The founder of Shíqíjiā, Kentarō Ogawa, has passed away at the age of 77.

On April 7, Japanese restaurant giant Zensho Holdings issued an announcement stating that its founder and chairman, Kentaro Ogawa, passed away on April 6, 2026, at the age of 77. His positions were automatically terminated on the same day. According to media reports, the cause of Kentaro Ogawa’s death was a myocardial infarction.

According to the announcement, during his lifetime, Kentaro Ogawa held 500,000 shares of the company. After his passing, the number of the company’s directors decreased by one, but it still meets Japan’s legal minimum requirement for the number of directors, and the company’s operations will not be directly affected as a result.

Zensho Holdings said that the wake and funeral will be held privately for only relatives. At the request of the family, the company declines all flower wreaths, offerings, memorial services, condolence messages, or in-person visits to mourn. The company will hold a memorial gathering at a later date, and the specific time and location will be announced after they are confirmed.

Public information shows that Kentaro Ogawa was born on July 29, 1948, in Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1982, he founded Zensho Holdings, leading the rise of the chain brand Sukiya (SUKIYA) under its umbrella, and—through strong leadership and active acquisitions—developed the group into one of Japan’s leading out-of-home dining companies, alongside Yoshinoya.

According to media reports, when Kentaro Ogawa was young, he studied at the University of Tokyo, then dropped out before graduating and went to work for Yoshinoya. After Yoshinoya fell into a business crisis in 1980, in 1982 he started his own business and opened the first Sukiya store in Yokohama, officially kicking off his restaurant business.

According to The Nikkei, in the fiscal year ending March 2025, Zensho Holdings surpassed 1 trillion yen, setting a new record among Japanese restaurant companies. Through diversified development centered on mergers and acquisitions, in addition to establishing the revolving sushi chain “Hamazushi,” Zensho Holdings also acquired family restaurants such as “Coco’s,” as well as rice bowl/udon restaurants such as “Nakau.” Zensho Holdings plans that by March 2028, the number of its overseas restaurant outlets will reach more than 13,000.

In 2025, Kentaro Ogawa will hand over the position of president to his second son, Yohei Ogawa, while he himself will serve as chairman.

According to information on the official website, Sukiya was founded in 1982 in Yokohama, Japan. It is a beef-bowl specialty chain, with beef bowls as its main products. It expands in Japan and overseas through directly operated stores. By the end of March 2018, the number of stores reached 2,400. Sukiya’s beef bowls are a popular product in Japan, accounting for about 45% market share in the industry.

Sukiya’s core strategy is “extreme value for money.” It establishes its position in the fast-food market through a simplified menu, efficient operations, and a flexible pricing system. As of 2024, Sukiya has more than 2,600 stores worldwide, with business coverage across Japan, China, the United States, Southeast Asia, and many other countries and regions. In Japan, it has 2,000 branches, and it also operates directly in places including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Beijing, Tianjin, and Guangdong in China, as well as in more than ten other countries and regions worldwide.