The decision to strike out and try something new is rarely an easy one, especially when it also involves defying convention and the risk of disappointing those closest to you. The start of any journey is often accompanied by a good deal of stress and uncertainty, but when a singular vision is paired with a bit of good fortune, exciting things are rarely far behind.

When business leader Hideaki Nishioka left his stable corporate job in Japan to pursue entrepreneurship in the United States, his decision was met with confusion and resistance from his family and colleagues. Born and raised in Osaka, he had spent his entire life up until that point in elite academic institutions and prestigious roles at global firms like Itochu Corporation.

Yet, deep down, he knew he was meant for something more than just climbing the corporate ladder.

Instead of following the path expected of him, Nishioka took a bold leap into the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship. His journey took him from Tokyo to Vancouver, factories in Italy to an MBA program in California, and ultimately to the heart of the American restaurant industry.

Today, he is the CEO of Tokyo Shokudo Holdings, a company on a mission to redefine Japanese dining in the U.S., making high-quality, authentic Japanese cuisine more accessible to everyday consumers.

But Hideaki Nishioka’s story isn’t just about building a restaurant empire—it’s about challenging conventions, embracing risk, and proving that success often lies down the roads less traveled. Nishioka dared to step outside tradition, blending Eastern discipline with Western entrepreneurial spirit to create something truly remarkable.

A Road Less Traveled: Making of an International Trailblazer

Nishioka was born in Osaka, Japan, and grew up with his big sister, a smart and industrious girl he adored. He would follow her around and read her school textbooks, and the two formed a friendly rivalry which inspired Nishioka to strive for academic excellence and exceed expectations.

He attended Rakunan Junior High and High School, a prestigious institution in Kyoto built on a UNESCO World Heritage Site, To-ji Temple, before studying at Keio University in Tokyo, one of Japan’s top business schools, focusing on financial engineering.

But while tradition was the name of the game at his schools, with the vast majority of students pursuing careers in engineering and medicine, Nishioka had big dreams and took a gap year to study business in Vancouver, Canada.

In Canada, he broadened his horizons by taking business management courses and developed a deep appreciation of how business is done internationally. With the understanding of Western business philosophies that this experience gave him, he went on to intern at multiple global firms, including Morgan Stanley, McKinsey, and PwC.

“I learned that there is a critical difference between operating a company and managing employees between Japan and the U.S.,” Nishioka revealed. “My passion is to unite the management techniques of these two countries and tailor them to the situation.”

With the fire of entrepreneurship lit, Nishioka turned down a promising job offer from Goldman Sachs in favor of Itochu Corporation, one of Japan’s largest trading firms, attracted by its diversity and the chance to fully engage in international business as a manager.

The entire global team at Itochu were much more experienced than Nishioka, but he built a strong rapport with them by always being respectful and suggesting clear, well-thought out ideas to gain their trust in him, which eventually led to his remarkable achievements at the organization.

The Leap to Entrepreneurship and U.S. Expansion

Even a dream job can be outgrown, and this was Nishioka’s experience with Itochu. His time there was extremely valuable, and he maintains strong relationships with his former team and managers, but Nishioka was ready to challenge himself away from Itochu and continue exploring the world outside Japan.

Determined to expand his business acumen beyond corporate life, Hideaki enrolled at UCLA Anderson School of Management, specializing in entrepreneurship and investment management. His venture capital experience at K Fund Capital Management in Los Angeles during his MBA helped Nishioka co-found 3D Architech, a metal 3D printing company, and secure venture capital funding after prestigious accelerator programs like Mass Challenge and CleanTech Open.

After realizing that the majority of the time at startups is spent securing funding, Nishioka refocused his efforts on aligning himself with a cash-flow-driven business where he could apply his management skills. Good fortune struck, and Nishioka was introduced to the founder of Tokyo Shokudo Group, which operates several promising Japanese restaurant brands based in Texas and was looking to find its niche and establish itself as a force in the American dining scene.

This pivotal moment reinforced a key insight: long-term success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about choosing the right business model with the right members that aligns with your skills, goals, and market realities.

Building Tokyo Shokudo: A Vision for Japanese Dining in America

“One thing I noticed after I came to the U.S. was that all the people who went to Japan told me that the food in Japan was much better than the Japanese food in the U.S.,” Nishioka recalls. “The opportunity I see is the ‘better’ and ‘affordable’ Japanese food. At Tokyo Shokudo, we offer home-style, authentic Japanese food without going to Japan.”

Nishioka realized that many people in the United States ate at restaurants categorized as Japanese, but without developing an appreciation for what makes the food and the culture so unique. After conversations with the founder of Tokyo Shokudo Group, who wanted someone to help him refine and hone his vision of making Japanese cuisine accessible to the masses, Nishioka stepped in as CEO to take the business to the next level.

Tokyo Shokudo Group has since grown to eight locations (soon to be 11 in 2025) across California, Texas, and Illinois in the United States, with plans to reach 50 locations by 2030. Nishioka’s growth strategy is focused on franchising, data-driven and customer-oriented site selection, and menu optimization that focuses on affordability and operational efficiency without sacrificing quality.

By offering a balance between authenticity and scalability, Hideaki and his team have positioned Tokyo Shokudo as the go-to brand for quality Japanese dining in the U.S.

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Hideaki Nishioka’s unique experiences across Japan and America, strong drive to exceed expectations, and willingness to take on new and unexpected challenges have informed his successful approach to entrepreneurship, which emphasizes bold decision-making, adaptability, and the importance of cultural fusion in business success.

Even as he continues to build Tokyo Shokudo into a globally recognized brand, he remains as committed to his pursuit of excellence as he was as a young man. Ultimately, his message to other entrepreneurs is to take risks and challenge what others might expect, just as he did by leaving a corporate job to live out his entrepreneurial passion.

“If you follow the standard, you will be in the standard,” Nishioka concludes. “If you want to be an outlier, you must carve your own path.”