Restaurant Scene: Attack of the Tatsu pulls inspiration from Japanese convenience stores

It’s not enough that it has highball cocktails made with Suntory whisky, katsu curry ramen and yuzu-flavored Hatakosen Ramune soda. Attack of the Tatsu has once again made Chattanooga that much more Tokyo-ish.

In 1974, retail-chain Ito-Yokado, with Masatoshi Ito at the helm, purchased franchising rights for 7-Eleven in Japan. These days, there are more than 20,000 7-Eleven locations dotted around the island nation. Lawson’s is another beloved Japanese convenience store also plucked from America — Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, to be exact.