Iconic Ginga Sushi Bar to close at Emporium, Fortitude Valley

A popular sushi bar in the heart of Fortitude Valley will close after 15 years, but it won’t spell the end of the restaurant with an exciting new venue on the horizon.

Ginga Sushi Bar at Fortitude Valley is closing after 15 years.

A popular family-owned sushi bar in the heart of Brisbane will close its doors after 15 years, but it won’t be the end for the restaurant with an exciting new venue on the horizon.

The owners of Ginga Sushi Bar and Dining at the Emporium precinct at Fortitude Valley, which opened in 2009, announced the venue will shut on September 28 after its current lease comes to an end.

It is the latest Ginga location to close after several others, including a restaurant at Hamilton’s Portside Wharf, shut down following some difficult times after the Covid pandemic.

The Fortitude Valley venue was part of several Ginga restaurants, which ran as a conveyor belt sushi bar before transitioning to an a la carte offer, lasting more than several years.

“It’s mixed emotions for us as a lot of history happened during this period,” manager, Yusuke Tateno, said.

“Floods, covid, staff came and gone.

“We are very sad about our departure for sure, however, since the core staff will be moving with us to the new site, there is also excitement and hope for this new opportunity.”

Ginga Sushi Bar at Fortitude Valley is closing after 15 years.

Mr Tateno said they were thankful for the loyal customers they have had for more than a decade, even seeing many grow up to adults.

“We are very thankful as we have many loyal customers who visits regularly even since 15 years ago, they are very sad and disappointed,” he said.

“Many of them kept asking us to stay and wished the landlord would have given better incentives to retain us as tenant.

“We see quite a few families with kids all grown to teenagers or teens to adults.

“Customers who are really loyal to their choice of food and haven’t changed since day one of their visit.

“Many customers became friends and brought us joy and even life advices and opportunities.

“We will miss them dearly.

“Our family would like to take this opportunity to thank all the customers who visited Ginga brand for the past 20-plus years.

“Also to all the people and staff who contributed to Ginga.”

While the closure will mark the end of an era for Ginga, it will also mark the start of the new one, with the business launching a new restaurant in Sunnybank in mid-October.

Ginga Sushi Bar at Fortitude Valley is closing after 15 years.

“The shop was planned and leased since end of 2023. It’s a new concept which offers a casual yet premium Japanese cuisine,” Mr Tateno said.

“An opportunity came up and we were convinced that the new location may match the concept we wanted to offer.

“The name of the new shop is ‘Goukai’, which in Japanese means ‘Australia Sea’.

“Our goal is to offer customers freshest Australian produce and seafood.”