St. Petersburg and Vladivostok Clash Over 'Tokyo' Restaurant Name
A legal dispute has escalated to court between a St. Petersburg entrepreneur and a Vladivostok-based restaurant chain over the use of the name 'Tokyo'.
Mar 10, 2026 0
The Tokyo chain is renowned for its Japanese cuisine and has been a staple in Vladivostok for years.
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The «Tokyo» restaurant chain from Primorye is preparing for a lawsuit against an individual entrepreneur from St. Petersburg, Sergey Simarev. He managed to register the name «Tokyo City», and now the Primorye chain«s names are similar to his trademarks.
The lawsuit is filed against LLC «Favorit», LLC «Feniks», LLC «Fors», LLC «Femeli» and individual entrepreneur Elena Stepanova. As a third party, the co-founder of the Primorye TOKYO chain, Alena Nitsora, is indicated. The «Tokyo» restaurant chain in Vladivostok has existed for about 18 years, and already tried to register this name, but was refused. Rospatent (the Federal Service for Intellectual Property) decided that the word «Tokyo» is associated with the Japanese capital and could confuse people about where the product is made.
According to Konkurent.ru, the Primorye restaurant chain is preparing for court. They are being helped by a team of lawyers. They are considering all possible outcomes and preparing to defend their rights under the law. Alena Nitsora says that if they lose, it will be a loss not only for them but for all residents of the city, because the brand name has become part of the citizens« lives.
The next hearing is scheduled for February 17.
In Vladivostok, the «Tokyo» restaurant chain is one of the most famous and popular. The first one opened in 2008 on Gaydamak, now restaurants are throughout the region: 9 establishments in 4 cities (Vladivostok, Nakhodka, Ussuriysk, Artyom). The menu includes rolls, sushi, sashimi, soups, salads, and hot dishes.
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