Another Popular Boise Area Restaurant is Closing for Good After 14 Years

After more than a delicious decade of serving the Treasure Valley, another Boise area restaurant is planning to close its doors by the end of June. It’s a bittersweet farewell for fans. 

On Sunday, June 15, Shige and Debbie Matsuzawa, the owners of Shige Express in Meridian, announced via Facebook that the restaurant’s final day will be June 27. With hearts full of gratitude, the family explained that Shige is retiring and that new owners will be taking over the space soon. 

READ MORE: 20 Boise Area Businesses That Have Already Closed for Good in 2025

The family introduced Downtown Boise to its first Japanese restaurant back in 1992 when they opened Shige Japanese Cuisine at 100 N 8th Street. They followed up the concept with Shige Express, Shige Japanese Steakhouse and Shige Saketini Bar, which had a unique French-Japanese menu, allowing Matsuzawa to get back to his roots preparing French-Japanese cuisine. He perfected those skills before learning to make the sushi that Boise’s loved for decades. 

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The Downtown Boise location closed in 2018 as the Capitol Terrace building it called home underwent a huge transformation and remodel. The sushi there was so good, fans gladly made the drive to the Meridian location, which opened in 2011.

In the post, Shige and Debbie said: 

Shige’s has been more than a restaurant, it has been our home. A place where we’ve shared incredible meals with you, created memories and celebrated milestones. A place where we’ve watched your family grow, just as you’ve watched ours, and now after more than three decades, it is time for us to close our doors as Shige officially retires 

And right up until the last day, the community continues to show the love right back as they reacted to the announcement. 

Personally, I never tried sushi until I moved to Boise 15 years ago. Shige was the first place I tried it and it was love at first bite. I’m really going to miss the restaurant and hope that Shige and his wife enjoy their retirement!

Shige is the second Boise area sushi restaurant to call it quits in June. Sushi Joy in Downtown Boise closed on June 1.