Japan's Weak Yen Lures Tourists While Food Outlets Feel Cost Pressure

A historic slide in the yen, reaching around 162 yen per U.S. dollar, has made Japan appear cheap to overseas visitors. A 13,000‑yen all‑you‑can‑eat seafood buffet in Tokyo’s Ginza, where about 80% of diners are foreigners, is being praised as “great value.”

At the same time, local food operators are struggling to keep prices low despite higher input costs. A popular bento shop in Koto Ward continues to sell a self‑service lunch for 480 yen, but has imposed limits on fried‑chicken portions and faces near‑break‑even margins as chicken and egg prices rise.

Ramen establishments report similar pressure: a “Jiro‑style” shop sells bowls for roughly 1,050 yen, yet pork costs have risen by about 150 yen per kilogram, adding roughly 300,000 yen to monthly expenses and contributing to the highest number of ramen‑shop bankruptcies on record for the first half of 2026.