Korean YouTuber Shocked by Unexpected Price Difference at Japanese Restaurant

Price Differences for the Same Food Depending on the Menu
Growing Controversy Over Discrimination and Price Gouging Against Tourists

A controversy has arisen over "overcharging foreign tourists," after it was revealed that a restaurant in Kyoto, one of Japan's leading tourist destinations, displayed different prices on its Japanese and English menus. The English menu, provided to foreigners, listed the same dishes at significantly higher prices than the Japanese menu.

Recently, YouTuber Soohoon Choi posted a video on his YouTube channel CKOONY showing him visiting a sushi specialty restaurant in Kyoto, Japan with a Chinese acquaintance.

YouTuber Soohoon Choi released a video on his YouTube channel 'CKOONY' showing him visiting a sushi specialty restaurant in Kyoto, Japan with a Chinese acquaintance. YouTube

In the video, the two look over the English menu and remark, "The cheapest option is three pieces of sushi for 20,000 won." The English menu shown in the video listed three pieces of tuna sushi for 1,800 yen (about 16,500 won), or 1,980 yen (about 18,000 won) including tax.

They asked the staff for the Japanese menu. The staff member asked, "Can you read Japanese?" before handing them the Japanese menu.

After comparing the two menus, Choi and his companion were bewildered by the unexpected price difference. They noted, "The cheapest item on the Japanese menu is 500 yen (about 4,600 won)," adding, "Even if we order a full set, it only comes to 5,214 yen (about 48,000 won) including tax." Choi's acquaintance remarked, "Every item is cheaper than on the (English) menu."

Netizens Criticize "Overcharging Foreigners"

Viewers of the video criticized the practice, saying, "They are overcharging foreigners," and "They are making an enormous profit at the expense of foreign tourists."

Another netizen commented, "It seems the logic is that foreign tourists are benefiting from the exchange rate due to the weak yen, so it's acceptable to charge them more," adding, "This dual pricing system, which began in major tourist areas like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, is now spreading even to small regional cities."

There were also accounts from people who had similar experiences. One netizen claimed, "When I visited a restaurant in Tokyo, they handed me an English menu because I was a foreigner. The price of sushi on the Japanese menu was about 13,000 won, but on the English menu, it was listed at nearly 50,000 won."

Expansion of Dual Pricing System in Japan

In fact, Japan is expanding the application of a "dual pricing system" that charges tourists higher prices for goods and services. At some tourist sites, such as in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, the city introduced a dual pricing system for admission to Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in March. Tourists must pay 2,500 yen (about 23,000 won), 2.5 times more than local residents.

Kyoto, in particular, is considering implementing a dual pricing system in public transportation as well. By 2027, city bus fares are expected to be differentiated between residents and non-residents.

Although the intention is to reduce various side effects of overtourism, controversy over discrimination against foreigners and overcharging continues to grow.

While the Japan Tourism Agency has not implemented a nationwide dual pricing system, it is reportedly reviewing guidelines for applying different rates to tourists and local residents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.