One of the most popular mazesoba chains in Metro Vancouver just publicly cut ties with one of its own locations.
Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba announced on Instagram that its Kerrisdale location is no longer authorized to operate under the Kokoro brand, effective immediately.
Yea some beef is going on.
The announcement was posted on the brand’s official account, @kokoro_mazesoba, with the caption reading “We would like to inform our customers that the Kokoro Kerrisdale location is no longer authorized to operate under the Kokoro brand effective immediately.”
The post added: “This location is no longer affiliated with Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba.”
A Noms Mag community member shared the announcement with us.
In the comments, a user asked why the Kerrisdale location was still using the Kokoro name.
Kokoro replied directly, stating: “The franchise agreement for this location has been terminated, and they are not permitted to use the Kokoro name or trademarks. We are actively addressing this situation through the proper legal channels.”
Another commenter wrote “Sounds like there’s some tea to spill,” which received over 419 likes.
The Kerrisdale location at 2285 West 41st Avenue is unique among Kokoro’s Canadian locations.
Since August 2025, a separate cafe brand called Penny Penny Coffee has been operating inside the same space, serving coffee and matcha, during morning and lunch hours.
Penny Penny Coffee sources its beans from Pallet Coffee Roasters and operates under its own branding and Instagram account.
No other Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba location in Canada has another brand operating inside it.
Some in the community have speculated that the addition of the coffee concept may be connected to the franchise termination, as it represents a significant departure from the core mazesoba offering.
However, this remains unconfirmed, and neither the brand nor the Kerrisdale location has publicly stated the reason for the split.
Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba is the world’s largest mazesoba chain, founded by Chef Takuma Ishikawa in Japan in 2014.
The brand currently operates around 11 locations across Canada, including spots in downtown Vancouver, River District, UBC, Metrotown, Brentwood, Coquitlam, Surrey, Richmond, Kelowna, and Edmonton.
The Kerrisdale situation comes less than a month after Kokoro closed its Kitsilano location at 1835 West 4th Avenue on February 1, 2026.
That space has since been taken over by The Hungry Duck, which is also by the Kokoro team.
With the franchise agreement terminated and the brand pursuing legal action, it remains to be seen how the Kerrisdale location will move forward and whether it will rebrand or continue operating under a different name.
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Address: 2285 W 41st Ave, Vancouver, BC