Tokyo, Japan – How a lot are guests to Japan prepared to pay for a bowl of noodles or a serving to of sushi?
With restaurant costs hovering in standard vacationer areas, the query is now not rhetorical.
In Niseko, a ski resort in Hokkaido well-known for its powdery snow, a bowl of crab ramen can value as much as 3,800 yen ($24.68) and katsu curry as much as 3,200 yen ($20.78) – round 3 times as a lot as in close by Sapporo, certainly one of Japan’s culinary hubs.
In Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai, a restaurant space subsequent to Tokyo’s largest seafood market, a bowl of rice topped with sashimi can value virtually 7,000 ($45.46) – or 5 occasions what locals would usually count on to pay.
Avenue stalls in Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market, Kyoto’s Nishiki Market and Osaka’s Dotonbori neighbourhood have additionally raised eyebrows with nibbles priced properly above the going fee.
As Japan experiences a surge in vacationers on the again of a weak foreign money, some companies are charging a premium for his or her fare.
The apply has even led to the coining of a slang expression, “inbound-don”, to explain rice bowls priced with deep-pocketed vacationers in thoughts.
Almost 17.8 million individuals visited Japan within the first half of 2024, surpassing the earlier document of 16.63 million in 2019, in keeping with the Japan Nationwide Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
The surge in arrivals has been spurred, partially, by the slumping worth of the yen, which is trading near a 40-year low against the dollar.
In consequence, travellers usually are not essentially baulking at restaurant costs which are equal to what they’d pay for occasionally lower-quality meals again dwelling.
Some eating places, involved about alienating native clientele, have confined the worth hikes to non-residents solely.
Tamateboko, a seafood buffet restaurant in Tokyo’s Shibuya, just lately launched a two-tiered pricing construction, providing a 1,000-yen ($6.49) low cost to all Japanese residents and residents of Japan.
A weekday lunch prices 5,478 yen ($35.58) for residents and residents, and 6,578 yen ($42.72) for international travellers.
Whereas it’s not remarkable for eating places to have totally different costs on their Japanese- and English-language menus, Tamateboko’s resolution was broadly reported in worldwide media, igniting heated dialogue about two-tiered pricing in Japan’s hospitality sector.
Kumi Kato, a professor of tourism at Wakayama College in Japan’s southwestern Kansai area, mentioned she was frightened in regards to the optics of the development, cautioning towards any insurance policies that may very well be perceived as discriminatory.
“Figuring out international visitors invited by Japanese or tax-paying international residents [at restaurants] can be troublesome,” Kato instructed Al Jazeera.
“Japanese and non-Japanese-type segregation will deliver disagreeable pressure and discontent … We have to be very cautious about that.”
Leaving a nasty style
Whereas tourism business insiders imagine Japan ought to capitalise on inbound guests’ elevated buying energy, some are sceptical that two-tiered pricing is the best way to do it.
Andres Zuleta, founding father of Boutique Japan, a luxurious journey firm that provides customised holidays, mentioned that whereas he’s “all for Japan discovering moral and inventive methods to monetise the tourism growth,” companies that cost totally different costs based mostly on nationality are prone to generate resentment.
“Discounted pricing for locals might make sense, however having totally different costs on an English menu versus a Japanese menu is certain to depart a nasty style – excuse the pun – in individuals’s mouths. The concept of tiered pricing appears extra prone to be palatable at [tourist] websites and such,” Zuleta instructed Al Jazeera.
Andrew William, founding father of Kyoto-based tour firm An Design, mentioned that whereas it’s comprehensible for companies to cost foreigners costs they’d count on to pay at dwelling when they’re making bookings from abroad, it’s riskier doing so in Japan.
“An indication with a two-tiered pricing would look very unhealthy,” William, whose tour firm specialises in off-the-beaten-track excursions of Kyoto’s historical non secular websites and gardens, instructed Al Jazeera.
“Plus, are locals going to have to point out their ID in all places they go? Possibly that isn’t so unhealthy, but it surely appears awkward.”
Nonetheless, some Japanese officers seem unperturbed about foreigners’ perceptions.
Hideyasu Kiyomoto, the mayor of Himeji Metropolis, just lately recommended that international vacationers pay as much as 4 occasions greater than the usual admission fee to go to Himeji Fort, Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Website.
Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura expressed his assist for the concept, suggesting he might undertake a mannequin for Osaka Fort.
The pinnacle of the Hokkaido Tourism Group has additionally referred to as on companies throughout Japan’s northernmost principal island to set totally different costs for vacationers and locals.
Amongst these arguing in favour of charging international vacationers extra, the rationale has run the gamut from overlaying the prices of heritage conservation to coaching English-speaking employees.
Kato, the Wakayama College professor, mentioned that proprietors have to be extra particular and clear in regards to the prices.
“Heritage conservation itself shouldn’t be the rationale for charging foreigners extra,” she mentioned.
“And language points shouldn’t be the onus of particular person companies or institutions. There ought to be authorities assist for implementing multilingual interfaces and coaching English-speaking guides.”
Japanese authorities asking guests to cough up greater than locals shouldn’t be with out precedent.
Miyajima Island, a well-liked attraction off the coast of Hiroshima, well-known for its forests and the “floating” gate of Itsukushima shrine, launched a vacationer tax in October 2023.
Since July, hikers hoping to climb Mt Fuji’s hottest path have been required to pay a 2,000-yen ($12.99) entrance charge.
Since 2019, international travellers have additionally been levied 1,000 yen upon departure, which officers mentioned can be used to assist enhance tourism infrastructure, similar to Wi-Fi and multilingual assist.
Kato mentioned Japan has quite a bit to supply as a journey vacation spot, however the nation ought to solely extract more cash from guests if the worth is commensurate with the worth of the expertise.
“I don’t wish to see a confrontational strategy: cost additional for all the things and cost cash to enter in all places,” she mentioned.
“Bear in mind, tourism ought to all the time be a contented business.”