Foreigners Pay More in Japan — Unless They Speak Japanese?

Japan has always been famous for great food at surprisingly reasonable prices.

But recently, an interesting—and controversial—trend has been getting attention:

Could foreign tourists actually pay more than Japanese customers? And could speaking Japanese make a difference?

The answer is a little complicated.

Is “Foreigner Pricing” Really Happening?

Yes—but Japan has not introduced a nationwide “foreigner pricing” system. These are decisions made by individual businesses and tourist attractions.

Case 1: Tamatebako Seafood Buffet, Tokyo

One example that attracted attention was Tamatebako (海鮮バイキング 玉手箱) in Tokyo.

The restaurant introduced different pricing for overseas tourists and people living in Japan, including foreign residents.

The restaurant explained that serving international tourists can require additional staff time—explaining the dining system, ingredients, how to prepare certain foods, and other information in English.

In other words, their argument was essentially:

More support requires more staff time, and more staff time costs money.

Case 2: Gadōya OSAKA, Osaka

A more controversial example appeared at Gadōya OSAKA (我道家 OSAKA本店), a ramen restaurant in Osaka.

Its ticket machine attracted attention because customers selecting Japanese could see ramen options around ¥1,000, while the foreign-language menu displayed products costing close to ¥2,000.

That sounds shocking—but there's an important detail.

The restaurant explained that it was not simply selling the exact same bowl of ramen to foreigners for twice the price.

The products offered through the foreign-language menu had different specifications and were designed differently for overseas customers.

Still, the case sparked a bigger debate:

Should the language you use—or the amount of support you need—affect how much you pay?

Why Charge Tourists More?

From the restaurant's perspective, serving international tourists can sometimes mean additional costs.

Staff may need to explain ordering systems, ingredients, restaurant rules, how certain dishes are eaten, or payment procedures in another language.

Businesses may also need multilingual menus, translation tools, and English-speaking staff.

Supporters therefore ask:

If providing additional service costs more, is charging more necessarily unfair?

But critics have another question:

What if a foreign tourist speaks Japanese perfectly and doesn't need any additional support?

And that's where things get complicated.

What Do Foreigners Think?

Opinions are divided.

Some international visitors and foreign residents point out that tourist pricing isn't unique to Japan.

Different prices for tourists and residents already exist in many destinations around the world.

Others worry about how businesses decide who counts as a tourist.

• What about a foreigner who has lived in Japan for ten years?

• What about a tourist who speaks fluent Japanese?

• What about people who hold Japanese citizenship but only speak Japanese?

  
  

This raises an important point:

Nationality and language ability are not the same thing.

What Do Japanese People Think?

Japanese people are divided too.

In one survey of 1,200 people, around 58% supported or somewhat supported dual pricing in Japan's tourism industry.

Supporters argue that tourism creates additional costs and that residents shouldn't necessarily have to bear all of them.

Opponents worry that different prices could feel discriminatory, damage Japan's reputation, or make visitors feel unwelcome.

So even within Japan, there isn't one clear answer.

So…Should You Learn Japanese?

You don't need fluent Japanese to travel around Japan.

Google Translate and Google Lens can translate menus and signs surprisingly well.

But there's one thing your camera can't completely replace:

actually communicating with people.

Here are a few phrases that can take you through almost an entire restaurant experience.

Entering

• Futari desu (二人です。)— Two people.

Ordering

• Sumimasen!  (すみません！) — Excuse me!

• Kore, onegaishimasu  (これ、お願いします。) — This one, please.

• Osusume wa nan desu ka?  (すすすめは何ですか？) — What do you recommend?

Paying

• Okaikei onegaishimasu (お会計お願いします。) — The bill, please.

• Kādo tsukaemasu ka? (カード使えますか？) — Can I use a card?

Before You Leave

• Gochisōsama deshita! (ごちそうさまでした！) — Thank you for the meal!

If you only remember four phrases:

Sumimasen! → Kore, onegaishimasu → Okaikei onegaishimasu → Gochisōsama deshita!

That's enough Japanese to walk into many restaurants, order, pay, and leave with a smile.

Want to Learn More Japanese Before Your Trip?

At Survival Japanese Lesson, we don't spend hours teaching complicated grammar.

We focus on the Japanese you'll actually use while traveling—restaurants, shopping, transportation, asking questions, and communicating with locals.

You don't need to become fluent.

You just need enough Japanese to make your trip better.

Learn a little. Speak a little.Experience Japan like a local. 🇯🇵