Sushiro, the aggressively expanding Japanese conveyor-belt sushi chain, has brought more good news for foodies following its July opening at Lohas Park in Tseung Kwan O. Sushiro recently announced it will open a branch at Dragon Centre in Sham Shui Po, with the premises now under renovation. The news instantly sparked online discussions, as the mall is set to achieve an unprecedented feat: hosting four major conveyor-belt sushi brands, leading netizens to joke it is "Hong Kong's mall closest to Japan."
Dragon Centre on Yen Chow Street in Sham Shui Po already housed two sushi brands: Sushi Express (a Taiwanese chain) on the 3rd floor (opened 2021), and Genki Sushi (a Japanese chain with nearly 70 branches in Hong Kong) on the 6th floor. Now, with the upcoming addition of HAMA SUSHI (currently only in Jordan and Hang Hau) to the new 4th-floor food court, and now Sushiro, West Kowloon Centre will bring together four major conveyor-belt sushi giants – competition is set to be fierce.
Some netizens humorously noted that West Kowloon Centre has been fully "Japan-ified." The mall's aggressive push to attract sushi chains sparked heated discussion on the Facebook group "Sham Shui Po Neighbourhood." One netizen posted in awe: "West Kowloon Centre will soon have Sushiro, HAMA SUSHI, Genki Sushi, and Sushi Express – truly the holy land of sushi that once had Ming General!" Others jokingly suggested renaming the mall "West Kowloon Dragon Centre" (a play on the Japanese "Dragon Centre"). The response from locals has been positive, with some saying "Hama is pretty good, decent value" and "It has more sushi places than V Walk." Some predicted that "in the end, Sushiro and Sushi Express will be the ones that survive." Many also hoped for more Japanese brands, saying "It would be perfect if Don Don Donki also opened here," with some suggesting that the vacated Sincere Department Store space (which closed earlier this year) would be ideal.
When discussing Dragon Centre's sushi history, one cannot forget the "legendary" Ming General Sushi. This defunct budget sushi buffet chain had a flagship store in the mall. At its peak, Ming General offered all-you-can-eat for about $50 and incorporated Hong Kong-style ingredients like cola candy, salted fish, and preserved meat into sushi, creating legendary items like the "Red Bean Gunkan." It became a cherished memory for many primary and secondary school students.
With four major brands now gathering, netizens feel nostalgic for Ming General. Comments included: "Ming General was a cafeteria for poor people like me," "Of course, it's the Cola Candy Gunkan," and "Will Ming General make a comeback?" One particularly resonant comment compared it poetically: "The destruction of Ming General gave life to all these new sushi shops – isn't that a kind of 'whale fall'?" This unique local sentiment has become an indelible mark on West Kowloon Centre's food culture.
Images and Source: Sham Shui Po Neighbourhood (Facebook), Sushiro HK
