Our History

We are a blend of taste, culture and community. Our founder, Reverend Susumu Ikuta, came from Japan to Canada to share a life full of faith and community. He opened Edo Japan over 40 years ago as a means for both nourishing and providing for the community. This inclusive philosophy is at the core of our company of franchisees to this day.

Chop sticks
We celebrate a merger of tastes and cultures Rice bowl

Our Timeline

Welcome to Edo Japan

1979 - Welcome to Edo Japan

The first Edo Japan is opened in Calgary, Alberta by Reverend Susumu Ikuta, a Japanese Buddhist minister who came up with the idea of serving traditional Teppan-style meals with a signature teriyaki sauce.

We expand

1981 - We expand

Edo Japan reaches Edmonton with the opening of a restaurant at Heritage Mall.

We franchise

1986 - We franchise

Reverend Ikuta decides to share his successful business opportunity by franchising Edo Japan.

We grow

1999 - Tom Donaldson becomes CEO

Reverend Ikuta leaves the organization after being appointed Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of Canada. Tom Donaldson is hired as CEO, transforming Edo Japan from a “mom and pop” operation into a thriving franchise.

We hit the streets

2002 - We hit the streets

We launch our first street front restaurant to meet consumer demand by offering dine-in or takeout service in a contemporary and casual restaurant setting.

We offer sushi

2006 - We offer sushi

Edo Japan introduces a selection of sushi items at all mall locations.

We hit 100

2011 - We hit 100

We open our 100th restaurant at Namao Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

We go bronze

2014 - We go bronze

Edo Japan wins bronze at the Canadian Franchise Association Awards of Excellence in Franchising.

We are simply better

2015 - We are simply better

Edo Japan is named a Canadian Franchise Association "Franchisees’ Choice" for the fifth consecutive year.

New leadership

2016 - Dave Minett becomes CEO

Tom Donaldson retires and Dave Minnett becomes the President and CEO.

Hello Manitoba

2018 - Hello Manitoba

We open our first restaurant in Manitoba, at CF Polo Park in Winnipeg.

We deliver

2018 - We deliver

We begin partnering with delivery services such as SkipTheDishes, DoorDash and UberEats to bring Edo straight to your doorstep.

We continue expanding

2019 - We continue expanding

We open two more locations in Manitoba, three in Ontario, nine in Alberta and one in British Columbia.

We add convenience

2019 - We add convenience

We launch My Edo App and online ordering to make pre-ordering and pick up that much easier. Plus, customers earn My Edo Rewards for every order over $15, and get the 6th meal free!

We reach franchise milestones

2020 - We reach franchise milestones

We celebrate 25 years as a member of the CFA Franchise Association and we're selected as a CFA Franchisees' Choice Designee for the 10th consecutive year.

Taste the talk (by the bottle)

2020 - Taste the talk (by the bottle)

We’re famous for our teriyaki sauce, and now we’ve bottled it – opening up endless possibilities for customers to enjoy adding our signature sauce to their favourite at home dishes.

Our Fresh Facts

Sushi platter

1

Our variety of sushi creations are all made fresh daily,

Sushi platter

2

We serve authentic cuisine grilled on a sizzling 450°F teppan grill.

Sushi platter

3

Our signature Teriyaki Sauce is made fresh daily from a time-honoured recipe.

Reverend Susumu Ikuta

4

The first Edo Japan opened in 1979 in Calgary, AB.

National flag of Japan

5

Edo Japan is the ancient name of Tokyo, the capital of Japan.

Edo bags

6

We have more than 155 locations across Canada.

Rice meal

7

Our best sellers of 20 years are the Teriyaki Chicken and Sukiyaki Beef.

Bento box

8

We serve more than 10 million meals annually.

Bowl meals

9

Edo Japan is a proud supporter of food banks across Canada.

Leave happy. Come back hungry
Arrow pointing to text from image

Beef Chop Chop Bowl

Beef Chop Chop Bowl