What was the name of McDonald's first restaurant in Japan, opened in Tokyo in 1971?

McDonald's Ginza was the name associated with McDonald’s first Japanese restaurant, opened in Tokyo in 1971.

The restaurant opened in the Ginza district, one of Tokyo’s best-known commercial areas. Its arrival marked an important step in McDonald’s international branding history because the company had to present a strongly recognizable American identity in a new cultural and commercial setting.

McDonald’s entered Japan through a partnership involving Den Fujita, whose company helped establish and operate the Japanese business. The first restaurant used the familiar Golden Arches and core McDonald’s identity while adapting operations and menu presentation for the local market.

The opening is sometimes confused with the first McDonald’s elsewhere in Asia. Japan’s first restaurant was in Tokyo’s Ginza district, while other Asian markets received their first locations at different times. The Ginza name identifies the landmark opening rather than a worldwide slogan or mascot.