The Cost of Dining in Japanese Restaurants and Cafes Outside Tokyo

When traveling to Japan and looking to dine outside of Tokyo, you might be curious about the costs involved. The prices for meals at eateries such as restaurants and cafes in various parts of Japan can vary widely depending on the type of cuisine, restaurant quality, and specific location.

General Breakdown of Dining Costs in Japan Outside Tokyo

Casual Dining (e.g., ramen shops, izakayas): Price Range: 7 to 15 per meal Many casual eateries offer reasonably priced meals, often around 10 for a bowl of ramen or a set meal. Mid-range Restaurants: Price Range: 15 to 30 per meal This includes places like sushi restaurants or more upscale izakayas. A meal with multiple courses may cost around 25. Fine Dining: Price Range: 30 and up, often reaching 100 or more Fine dining experiences can be quite expensive, especially in popular tourist areas. Cafes: Price Range: 5 to 15 for drinks and light meals Cafes often serve coffee, tea, and light snacks or desserts, with prices typically ranging from 5 to 10 for a drink and pastry. Street Food and Vendors: Price Range: 3 to 10 Street food is a great way to eat cheaply, with options like takoyaki or yakitori often costing around 3 to 5.

Overall, dining outside of Tokyo tends to be more affordable than in the capital, with many options available to suit different budgets.

What's Different About Pricing Outside Tokyo?

Interestingly, menu prices are pretty much the same both inside and outside of Tokyo and other big cities. However, what you get for your money is different.

For example, taking a look at a standard lunch tempura bowl at a place around 90 minutes from Tokyo, it is easily 3 times what I'd expect to get in Tokyo for the same money.

A nearby pizza place is, in fact, more expensive than a world-famous restaurant, such as one featured in David Chang's Ugly Delicious. This place near my home in Tokyo. The country pie comes with homemade soup, a pretty large salad, and coffee.

My understanding is that while ingredients and rent are much cheaper in the countryside, labor isn't all that different. There's a huge shortage of young workers outside the big city, making it unlikely that lowering prices would significantly increase traffic, as there's not that much traffic to begin with. So city and country end up in pretty much the same place in terms of menu pricing.

Additionally, the tempura place shown above is right on the water. Local fish is cheap and delicious, but almost all of the raw fish has to go through Tsukiji (now Toyosu) so transportation costs are slightly higher than in Tokyo.

Similarly, most supermarket chains source centrally and then ship to individual stores. Some of which might be right next to the field where the vegetables were grown. Once again, transportation costs are actually higher.

Occasionally, you'll see something locally sourced and it is cheap. However, there are a lot of stands that sell local produce and it's also ridiculously affordable. The problem is that small stands can't provide the consistently large volumes required by restaurants or supermarket chains. So, if you want to eat cheaply in the countryside, cooking for yourself is the way to go.