A Ramen Shop Sparks Debate Over Tourist Pricing in Japan

Two-tiered pricing, charging tourists more than locals, is an idea that’s been floating around in the public consciousness, but there’s not much precedent for it in Japan.

One ramen restaurant in Osaka, called Gadoya, has introduced a system in which foreigners are likely to pay roughly twice as much as Japanese customers.

If customers choose to order using the touch panel’s English-language screen, the types of ramen with the same names are about double the price.

The restaurant claims that the items on the English menu are totally different and are offered as special premium ramens, designed for people who are not familiar with ramen culture in Japan.

A complicated aspect of Japan’s inbound foreign tourism boom is, ironically, that some of the most simple pleasures in Japan are proving extremely popular with tourists.