Great reporting. Having lived in Japan for a long time, I can totally relate to everything that is being reported. It is extremely unnerving for food prices to 2x or 3x in such a short time -- it's especially true of vegetables that are supposed to be cheap (like cabbage). It wasn't touched on in the video, but the price of rice is going through the roof, too. I'm sure it has to do with the weak yen, expensive energy prices and probably changes in weather. But people haven't been getting raises, so it really hurts.
Rice is a special case. The Japanese government has been paying rice farmers to not grow rice in an effort to raise the price and reduce government subsidies. Apparently, this strategy has worked. A 5 kilo bag of rice which used to cost 1,800 Yen now costs 3,400 Yen and the new price appears to be permanent. I told my wife we should eat potatoes instead of rice to punish the Japanese agricultural bureaucrats and rice farmers for their greed. That lasted for about a month before she insisted we pay the higher price.
Im a housewife and work part time to a japanese husband. I do the shopping for the house. I’ve told him, egg, vegetables, etc. prices are going up, where we once 4 years ago could afford 30000 yen on groceries and but now i’m spending somewhere between 40000-45000 on food.
Here in America the grocery bill is insane as well. I was recently in Japan and had the benefit of a strong dollar over a relatively weaker yen. I was astounded at how “cheap” food seemed to me-a Californian-but I reminded myself that my good time was essentially being subsidized by the locals’ suffering. We’re all getting poorer, it seems.
@@ChickensAndGardening Injecting wealth doesn't mean wealth going into helping their local economy when they keep getting screwed by the U.S. Especially the Biden Administration. Don't underestimate the U.S influence over other countries when it comes to economy. That's one of the reason what led to WW2 in the first place.
Reminds me of the fish and chips issue in the UK, a common working man meal getting more expensive and shops closing down due to the inability to sustain the business due to rising food prices
@@jeffreychongsathien Your logic made no sense at all. You used to give all your fish to Europe back then. But back then the Fish and Chip shops are thriving. Now that you stop giving all of your fish to Europe. Suddenly, Fish and Chip shops goes bust?
I find it hard to understand the "Wall of 1000 Yen." Surely, there must have once been a "Wall of 500 Yen" that was eventually overcome. The problem of a weak Yen seems to be a major factor in many food price increases. The Japanese government could take measures such as raising interest rates to strengthen the Yen. However, Japanese industry is very happy with the weak Yen because it makes their exports cheaper for Americans and Europeans to buy. It's another case of the Japanese government doing what industry wants rather than listening to Japanese consumers. This indifference to consumers will not change until the Japanese change their voting patterns.
Bruh Shut up 30 years ago also Ramen was under 1000 or 1000. That's why it is given that 1000 name there was never 500. But I would say Inflation will always be there no doubt.
@@Gantaipao Were you born yesterday? There has to have been a time in the past when the Yen was worth twice as much as it is today. Oh, in dollars that time was September 2011. As little as ten years ago, I remember I could get "one coin" (500 Yen) lunches at a small restaurant downtown. That restaurant closed a long time ago.
I looked at the prices of the ramen store I went to in 2019 and some were over 1000 yen, given it has a lot of toppings on the side. Its an unfair comparison as that was from an osaka tourist spot, while this video is about the locals living there
It’s the same mentality in everywhere as they r considered cheap local food. In Singapore, people expect to pay less for food in hawker centres (street food equivalent) but prices have also increased significantly.
Even Japan can't escape the financial chaos? I'm so sorry to see this happening. Genuinely concerned that costs of living are becoming increasingly untenable all over the world.
@Harkz0r What planet are you living on? Cost of living has always been high in Japan, especially with regards to food because Japan has long since ceased being able to sustain its own food supply. Even rice is imported.
Sad that japan got the dollar trap treatment. Is it 1997 and 2008 all over again when all countries deflate against USD because US print a lot of money with uncapped debt😢
Seeing the same trend for restaurant owners in the US and Canada. And it's partly because of the rise in the cost of overhead as well as cost of supplies. Commercial real estate and food/equipment suppliers jacking up prices, causing a cascading effect that hits everyone downstream, including shop owners and the customers.
To understand food inflation, and general inflation one must remember that the root causation of the drastic drop in the UK pound and Japanese yen is the loss of energy independence. The need to import energy for both countries results in a drop in the currency which creates higher costs for basic food, and input costs such as the electricity to run a business, and transport goods. This is a direct result of nuclear power being taken offline after the Fukushima disaster, which had nothing to do with nuclear power, but was due to poor design of the Fukushima reactors, and placing backup power generators in the basement of the complex, rather than situated higher up on the hillside where they would not have been inundated with water. Energy security is critical for the strength of a country. The collapse of the german economy due to its reliance on Russian gas and closure of nuclear power for dubious "green" reasons, parallels that of the UK and Japan's loss of economic strength, leading to rising unemployment and a loss of currency purchasing power relative to other countries who are either exporting energy or are energy independent.
It is the result of carbon taxes and Liberal government policies. If you make the price of energy more expensive, everything goes up in price. Agriculture is particularly hard hit because of transportation and refrigeration costs. Makes sure you vote Conservative next election to axe the carbon tax.
One of the best channels regarding Japan. Very grateful you leave Japanese subtitles so its easy to learn while watching too. All articles sourced in the description is extremely helpful too! Subbed
Good to hear these independent ramen restaurants are trying to stay in business in these challenging times by creating ways to reduce costs while providing customers with good food. Vietnamese also have a a ‘dry’ option for traditional soup noodles like pho and mi. The standard noodles with toppings are served drizzled with an umami-rich, tangy, tomato-based sauce, accompanied with a small side bowl of soup broth to sip between bites. It is as delicious and reduces the soup without eliminating it altogether, and is as popular as the traditional soup version. Some other cost-saving ideas: - to reduce fuel costs, use a pressure cooker to make the broth instead of the long simmer - offer a new ramen soup made with a mixture of chicken, beef, and pork bones in combinations that minimizes costs yet maximizes flavor - partner with other restaurants and industries to obtain soup bones that they consider byproducts, such as from fried chicken restaurants which can offer boneless fried chicken and sell the bones to ramen shops at a discount to make the soup. Hard times require innovative thinking and flexibility balancing traditional and new ideas.
Yes, when I heard about the long boiling time, I was also thinking that they they should use a pressure cooker. Really saves on time (labor costs) and fuel.
Pressure cooker can save up to 70% of energy. Example : Goulash. Normal boiling time about 1 hour. Pressure cooker: 10 minutes heating till pressure has built up. 5 minutes on lowest flame. Then OFF! This is important to use the rest energy. Another 10 minutes. Very crude numbers, i don't have a good pressure cooker either. But you will see by yourself...
It's ridiculous he has to consider that. Yes, I live and work in Japan too. The "1000 yen ramen wall" needs to go and it doesn't understand the reality of today. Based on the customer's comments, the restaurant has quality ramen. I used to live in Kobe before and know Nishinomiya very well. It's very middle class. Not too far from Osaka and Ashiya. They could afford the bump if the ramen retains its great quality. Why would anyone want to agree with his closure?
Well, at the end of the day it's all about supply and demand. Japanese people will probably be more willing to pay more when they realize there will be no more restaurants otherwise. There will probably be pressure on the government to take actions too
Its a matter of how fast price go up. If something has costed the same your entire life then suddenly it cost more, you're going to be surprised. And this is japan where where change is not a concept they can easily accept
@cv5420 I live in Japan too, and nobody is going to body the equivalent of over 6 US bucks for a bowl of noodles with a couple of slabs of pork in it, especially when they can get a larger meal for the equivalent cost or less at BK or McDonald's. I used to live in Nishinomiya too, and while it may be considered middle class, people who are trying to get by on salaries of $30k US (and there are lots of them) simply aren't prepared to pay more.
This is sad. Inflation is out of hand. Shop owners don't want to be the bad guy. All my favorite Japan ramen shops cost no more than 1200 JPY. Average ramen in NYC is 18 - 21 USD + tips. Comparing Apple to Apple: No-tipping ICHIRAN Brooklyn recommended set w/ egg: 24 USD (14-01-2025 = 3800 JPY). Japan ICHIRAN select 5 set w/ egg: 1620 JPY (14-01-2025 = 10.25 USD). When I am in Japan, I don't go to ICHIRAN. But in the US, I go to ICHIRAN ...
How irony is when the shop has to close for bankruptcy even after the customers are supporting it BUT not willing to pay more than 1000 yen due to some cultural stigma???
To understand food inflation, and general inflation one must remember that the root causation of the drastic drop in the UK pound and Japanese yen is the loss of energy independence. The need to import energy for both countries results in a drop in the currency which creates higher costs for basic food, and input costs such as the electricity to run a business, and transport goods. This is a direct result of nuclear power being taken offline after the Fukushima disaster, which had nothing to do with nuclear power, but was due to poor design of the Fukushima reactors, and placing backup power generators in the basement of the complex, rather than situated higher up on the hillside where they would not have been inundated with water. Energy security is critical for the strength of a country. The collapse of the german economy due to its reliance on Russian gas and closure of nuclear power for dubious "green" reasons, parallels that of the UK and Japan's loss of economic strength, leading to rising unemployment and a loss of currency purchasing power relative to other countries who are either exporting energy or are energy independent.
Japan doesn't increase wages, and even if they do increase the wage it is so little. How do you expect people to buy and spend money on things when the salary problem is not fixed?
@@zollen123 yes but its just consolidation like many other countries in the world, the money is just ending up in the pockets of the few, while the majority aren't getting higher salaries to keep up. the people getting raises aren't eating at these restaurants.
Well this is mainly due to the weak Yen which is because of the decades long policy of the central Bank of Japan to print unlimited amounts of money and have negative interest rates to artifically support the stagnant economy. They've been kicking the can down the road for decades. The Japanese people who have been protected by their central bank now must have to feel pain and make very painful changes which is unlikely because Japan has legendary at not changing since the 90s. It would not suprise me if it went to $1=200 Yen in a few years. Japanese should ask WHY the yen is so weak.
difficult to turn around an economy with little skilled labour immigration ( cause people make triple or quadruple higher salaries in other countries ) and tons of old people, failing pension system and insane bureaucracy and a culture of never changing anything. it really isn't looking good for them. and they have a crazy amount of debt which will collapse on them if they raised interest rates.
@@thejumper7282 If the US printed more currency, it weakens the purchasing power of the dollar, which would actually help the Japanese. The US keeps the dollar strong and stable with trade policies, and many parts of the world still sees the US dollar as the gold standard, despite economic difficulties the US has faced off and on.
Wait it's only 18 in Washington?! Compared to the wages we get in Berlin, 15€ is even less affordable here. Which is truly ridiculous. I think Germany is one of the hardest hit nations from the Ukraine war due to the natural gas dependency
@DD-DD-DD You have to put it in perspective. Average apartment in the USA is 1000 to close to 5000 a month not including other bills. And some make 35k a year
The official statistics claim fresh food inflation is under 3% yet we have clear cut cases here of varied items increasing 50-100% in price over four years and this is hardly a complete list. Dairy and rice are just as bad. The reality is interest rates should be raised to strengthen the yen but they can't do that as too much debt was racked up funding wasteful projects and welfare for old people so they'd never be able to pay the interest. It won't ever get better unless it gets a lot worse.
It happens everywhere. I've seen Americans who insist there's nothing they can do to save their business as they try none of the options. Typically there's a way to pivot.
You would understand the hesitation if you live here. The hard clinging to tradition, the pressure of "reputation" , the mindset of trying not to inconvenience others, and the shock factor of change in a country that hasn't changed since the 80's. All these and more are pressures
paid $20 for a takeaway banh mi and Vietnamese coffee yesterday in a heavily Asian area in Brisbane. This is simple street food (like $2.50 in Vietnam). I don't begrudge the owners for charging those prices, but it's become too much.
My country is one of the poorer countries in the world yet the costs of living is as high as Japan. The rise of prices in the world is absurdly rising to the point it's hard to afford anything
If Japan can grow all of their food domestically then the rising cost wouldn't have been an issue. They should rethink how to use the land for every day food more and less for the premium products, or else Japanese will go to hunger. Crazy to think such a developed country is going backwards so fast.
A lower population in Japan would actually be a good thing if there was a strong rural sentiment. But too many want to live in the city. It will sort itself out unless the country gets invaded.
You are basically dont know anything about food production and limited land space in Japan. Have you been to Japan? You want to double or triple Japan food cost? They can't do it becos of their weather and limited land space, their produce are better is becos they need more time to grow compare to other countries, hence expensive rice, expensive fruits, expensive wheat, expensive vege.... The people are unable sustain higher price food, now you want them to plant their own food? Vast plantation is not ideological in Japan, thats why they imported......
I still don’t understand why Japan isn’t focusing more on its families. Families that are happy and doing well grow, and that is the backbone to any economy. Instead, in Japan you are expected to start at a low wage and work grueling hours. Many households can’t afford to have the mother stay at home. The stress of that alone stops people from having children at all. People want to have families, but both parents working for less than they are worth, and not seeing the children for 10 or more hours a day would almost make staring a family seem pointless. What is the point of having children if you never see them? On top of that, everything is more expensive so having more children would make you even more financially insecure than you already are. Seems like the only people who are benefiting from the current economy are the tourists, but now with all the stress, many businesses turn their backs on tourists as well. So Japan, what do you want? Thriving, growing, happy families? An economy that relies on tourism? Or are you just going to give up and slowly go extinct?
What's is happening in Japan is happening everywhere. Restaurants worldwide are closing. People are working in the cost of food, housing, fuel, is increasing, but their wages aren't increasing. America and Europe has been dealing with this as long as Japan has. Citizens pay three times much as Japan to live and job loss increase daily. You may not believe this, but tourist or foreigners coming to Japan will not be able to save them. When you get too bad, the foreigners gonna return home. Back to the very home day left with the same conditions., Karma.
Japan has a different problem. It imports a lot of what it consumes, and the Japanese Yen has been very weak against the US dollar since the end of 2021; worse than levels seen in the late 90s. One thing Japan does have in common with the US is wage stagnation, but suppressed consumer price increases kept things affordable for the Japanese until recently.
those chains are mostly frequented by tourists, and in the city center usually the smaller ramen places are located in places outside the tokyo centre and more frequented by locals who dont earn as much
@@deekei which is interesting in itself. beef is pretty cheap in texas. you would think it would be the same for country side in japan. but maybe the issue is they dont have as much land.
those were always considered mega overpriced ramen even 10 years ago and nobody of the working class (salary men on their lunch break) would go to such a place. 1000 yen per lunch even today is still very unsustainable for most people, which is why many people went to 600-800 yen lunches
@@phgamer4393 Yes, land is much more limited in japan. Also animal feed has gotten pricier as this video mentioned. Thats why japan has historically focused on more quality than quantity in the beef production and its considered more of a luxury food afaik. Japan has half the land area of texas, while having 4x more people, and a lot of that land is not usable for farming or cattle ranching.
Cost of goods are increasing every year but the price of 1 bowl of Ramen hasnt changed much for past 30 years. Ramen shop i have been going for 30 years, they finally increased price last year but only like 50 cents.
Raw ingredient prices are rising particularly because food is imported. The Yen is weakening relative to the US dollar. Over here, we face a similar issue, but my country's currency has not weakened significantly. Instead, it seems to be profiteering. In my country, almost every food item is imported, with much being grown in a neighbouring country. The prices in that country have remained relatively stable so it is unlikely to be a rising production cost issue. I think the Japanese government should look towards moving to industrial-scale agriculture instead of the current inefficient small-scale system. A shift that will improve Japan's self-sufficiency and boost food exports too. Japanese rice and produce sell for a premium outside Japan.
Could be tough considering how mountainous Japan is. Take a look at google maps and you can see how little flat land Japan has compared to other countries.
Yup, every time we go out for food it’s feeling like I am being ripped off. Prices in cost and space leases are going to topple the system here. We are going to see more closures of food establishments. I can’t even afford to take my family of 4 out to dinner once a month. I don’t know how larger families are even feeding their kids at home.
Working there in year 2000, a large ramen cost 550-800 yen, depending on side ingredient. Soba would cost slightly a tad more, but never hit 1000, unless you had alot of side dishes/ingredients or the place is just hyped. This was Tokyo...fast forward...20 years...and this is the price today. I remember sitting along blue collar workers, and eating large simple meals, freeflow green/buckwheat tea at the cost of 400-480, that had large portions of noodle, no side ingredient aside the garnish/seaweeds/spring oinions/wasabi on the side....It would have even been around 300-350 in smaller areas...but...inflation sure has made everything impossible to sustain.
As someone who spent a major part of their life in Japan, $21 ramen feels crazy. Even with lots of toppings and special ingredients. I ate once in another US state, and it was over $40 after taxes and having to pay tip. Even in Tokyo, I doubt you will pay more than $8 including all tax and other fees.
Crazy that in the States we pay close to $15-20 for ramen bowls. Obviously not the same since its seen as a foreign food. Still wish that prices were closer to Japan
You have your problem literally at minute 1. I love Japan but sorry,clingin to ancient beliefs and tradition is not always a good thing. Closing instead of raising the price accordingly is pure bullshit. If we have shortage of water one day and it doubles the price,what do we do then,just die because you cannot change a price based of the historical moment you live in?... " Sorry i cannot pay that much for the water because 100 years ago it costed less,guess i'll die then,thanks anyway". Love tradition but they are also so damn stuck up on useless stufff and hurting themselves in the process.
The point everyone is missing is that ramen has evolved from a working class food Into a gourmet dish. This is natural because the working class of involved into the upper class at the same time so of course the price should increase. I think the Bank of Japan and the implicit Law of one price Respected by businesses in a particular industry has done a great job up to this point keeping the economy stable. The fact is people in Japan like to maintain things as they are. It’s one reason why the Infrastructure and level of services are generally so good in Japan. This can be a double edged katana though. Same as in any industry there should be low end options and high-end options. A shop like this looks like it’s on the high end, so he SHOULD raise prices! Customers should keep coming in spite of that. He probably doesn’t want to raise prices out of loyalty to his customers but The customers should be loyal too.
Groceries in Japan have increased a lot and a lot more since January 1st. My local Gyomu supermarket charges 600 yen for cabbage/stem of broccoli. They used to be about 200-300 just last month.. I don’t understand how people can survive with these prices because salaries have not changed. I’m so lucky I’m making usd so I’m not worried but I truly worry for my friends. I mean, sure, they will survive..
Great reporting. My family has been feeling the crunch. I cook most of our meals and it's been harder and harder to avoid processed food because produce is through the roof. I've been here for twenty five years, and food self-sufficiency decreases every year. Along with soaring costs, each time a chain restaurant takes over from a family restaurant they extract money out of local communities for the investors.
@mokisan 8 years ago when i was studying in Malaysia, the wall is around 7-8 rm, anything above that likely you are eating at a nice mall.Now 9rm is somewhat like regular price for outside food
Eventually, someone's going to break that wall, and if it's anything like when such walls were broken here, there will be a massive increase in pricing as providers speculate as to what the new limit is, because they're trying to figure out a workable cost they'll have to live with for the next 10-30 years, then once they hit the limit and public outcry becomes too much they'll slowly dial it back down to the point where the price is one consumers are now willing to pay. And there will be a whole lot friction and changes during this period too. We talk about supply and demand in the abstract a lot, but it's not as if buyers and sellers go around with their price points labeled on their forehead, so finding the meeting point is always pretty messy. And people's demand with food is usually very elastic. Also fun fact, but a bowl of tonkatsu ramen is here is $13 USD or 2,038 JPY. In comparison the best deal I can find for burger, fries, and a drink from a casual dining restaurant is is $10 or 1568 JPY with the average being closer to $13-$15. (Note: To anyone reading this, this still doesn't mean a whole lot because wages and cost of living between the two countries are very different. You need to do a much larger analysis to determine which is truly more expensive.) Edit: Also something else to think about is while Ukraine was one of the largest exporters of wheat before the war, Russia was one of the largest exporters of fertilizer. You could probably fill a whole video with the knock on effects of the Ukraine-Russia war on food prices.
In the Bay Area of California a bowl of ramen costs $16-$20 US dollars. They give you a minimal amount of ingredients, mostly broth and noodles. Back when you could get a bowl for $7-$10 it was worth it. Now it's too expensive for what you get
Feels like soup-less ramen isn't really the answer to this. Costs are cut sure but you just lose the customers that would have visited because they loved the soup. Feels like a operating model change out of ramen would be a better answer than removing the costly soup component.
I sure hope the loyal customers band together and encourage a price hike that would keep the restaurant afloat. It’s always a shame to see local businesses fail like that.
Stayed in Japan from Jan to Oct of 2003 in Tokyo, and I was able to have a good meal for below 500 yen, good food wasn't expensive and veggies were priced decently at the stores in the residential neighborhoods...
My favourite ramen place is in Tokyo Station and serves vegan ramen. They could try offering vegan options, or use chicken or fish stock if the problem is the increase in price of pork.
Not to mention Udon or even Soba shops. Here in the USA our grocery prices are also on the rise. It seems that there is no end in sight. My neighbor grows his own veggies and raises chickens for eggs.
I live in Japan for almost two decades now. And my last ramen was over a year. Watching this video made me to go eat ramen outside again lol. Gonna support them.
From the documentaries I've seen, Japanese society has very discerning tastes. Their cuisine values simplicity, using minimal seasoning to let high-quality ingredients shine. Even affordable or at least what is considered affordable meals like ramen are held to high standards. Any drop in quality can easily turn customers away. Culturally, the Japanese tend to be frugal and prioritizing quality over quantity.
Um... seems like the easy solution to this problem is for the Japanese government to pass a law that say no one can charge less than 1,200 yen for ramen... anywhere in Japan. That would break the 1000 yen wall overnight... and nobody could undercut anyone else. But if food costs are really the culprit, why aren't ALL ramen shops simply raising their prices (together), incrementally, as food prices rise--to reflect those higher costs? (Why would they ALL essentially choose to go out of business?)
As a Customer instead of getting sad why not just pay more than ¥1000? Your favourite shops are closing down going bankrupt because you don’t want to pay for what the product is worth. Everything goes up. This is how it works.
Japanese ramen restaurants should just accept the fact that prices of everything has been rising due to inflation and supply chain factors & adjust their prices accordingly. Patrons can surely understand their predicament and shell out a few more yen as their way to help out a business serving good food afloat.
Planned and controlled development in North America made sure the small venue restaurents don't even have a LOCATION to set up shop: New housing developments have a major food store, then FRANCHISED multi-natiionals ONLY all on the same price point, plus a bank, maybe a sports store, and that's it. At least in Japan small business based in the community was kept as a concept. We dont' even HAV E that now in the big cities in the newer areas.
Soup, through all of history, has been the food of the poor. You can always make more and stretch ingredients. It’s made with the cheapest parts. Mirepoix (veggies), and bones, scraps. The leftovers basically, boiled together. A good, fine stock is the basis of all cooking. Stock making is the first thing you learn in school. That soup is too expensive, it shows a massive shift, and how bad finances are. This is BAD.
This is becoming a worldwide problem. Food inflation is totally out of control, both at restaurants and at supermarkets, and i attribute this primarily to climate change initiatives that are driving up costs for farming and transportation. We are reaching a point where people will have to decide if they are willing to starve in order to have clean air and less changes in climate. Fossil fuels are what enabled prosperity in many countries around the world and it’s curtailment is having the reverse effect.
If all ramen restaurants can agree to raise prices, people won't have a choice of paying more than 1000 yen if they want ramen. The fix is as simple as that. Inflation increasing the price of all food hasn't stopped us from buying food. We have no choice.
The answer is Australia. If Japan invests into agriculture in Australia that has vast land, and infrastructure, it can offset the cost of importing from existing partners and secure their way of life. However it'll still need a decade for this infra to work.
Leave it to Japan for someone to rather close the small business that supports their family rather than charge a viable amount due to societal pressure. Japanese politeness working its magic for conglomerates
Japan needs to use a two tier system. How it works is the at prices go up for all but locals can get reimbursed by submitting receipt. Tourists end up paying the higher price. Disneyland in California provides discounts for locals. Just need to provide DL/ID.
Given that rice is now permanently high price since this year's "shortage", people here in Japan are getting smacked in the face about the reality of inflation and how businesses are having to deal with inevitable input price increases. People are living in la la land when it comes to how low the expect restaurant prices to be. No policy or plan from the government on how to tackle 30+ years of economic and wage stagnation . . .
Japan needs new import and export deals with Canada. Japan makes legit good quality products and good safe food. Japanese take pride in what they do so they value and focus on a customers satisfaction and experience and repeat business. Japan is not wasteful nor do they sacrifice quality for profit. Reputation and trust builds a strong business
I think the "Wall of 1000 yen" should easily transition into a "Wall of 1500 yen" given the long term inflationary trends. Looking outside of Japan in Asia it is quite common to see ramen priced at 1500-2000 yen. But the Japanese have added struggles given the Japanese yen has lost 30-40% in value in the past 3 years against stronger currencies like the US dollar.
The reality is as shops close the ones that are left will allow them to start increasing prices. The 1000 wall will soon be 2000 yen wall. This is just a reality of life.
The business perspective in Japan is super weird. They can't raise their Ramen price but they can buy those overpriced fruits. The dedication and efforts of running a ramen shop vs farmers cultivating these 'flawless" fruits seems unbalanced.
![Japan's Lost Decade - An Economic Disaster [Documentary]](/img/1.gif)
Great reporting. Having lived in Japan for a long time, I can totally relate to everything that is being reported. It is extremely unnerving for food prices to 2x or 3x in such a short time -- it's especially true of vegetables that are supposed to be cheap (like cabbage). It wasn't touched on in the video, but the price of rice is going through the roof, too. I'm sure it has to do with the weak yen, expensive energy prices and probably changes in weather. But people haven't been getting raises, so it really hurts.
More than probably change of weather.
living in Germany its exactly the same, past 2-3 years a lot of inflation, wages didn't follow...
Rice is a special case. The Japanese government has been paying rice farmers to not grow rice in an effort to raise the price and reduce government subsidies. Apparently, this strategy has worked. A 5 kilo bag of rice which used to cost 1,800 Yen now costs 3,400 Yen and the new price appears to be permanent. I told my wife we should eat potatoes instead of rice to punish the Japanese agricultural bureaucrats and rice farmers for their greed. That lasted for about a month before she insisted we pay the higher price.
@@prieten49A rise of almost 100%. That is truly insane.
ok
Im a housewife and work part time to a japanese husband. I do the shopping for the house. I’ve told him, egg, vegetables, etc. prices are going up, where we once 4 years ago could afford 30000 yen on groceries and but now i’m spending somewhere between 40000-45000 on food.
Here in America the grocery bill is insane as well.
I was recently in Japan and had the benefit of a strong dollar over a relatively weaker yen. I was astounded at how “cheap” food seemed to me-a Californian-but I reminded myself that my good time was essentially being subsidized by the locals’ suffering.
We’re all getting poorer, it seems.
@@blckshplwyr1601 By spending your money in Japan, you were injecting wealth into the system, not contributing to suffering.
@@ChickensAndGardening Injecting wealth doesn't mean wealth going into helping their local economy when they keep getting screwed by the U.S. Especially the Biden Administration. Don't underestimate the U.S influence over other countries when it comes to economy. That's one of the reason what led to WW2 in the first place.
I’m sure ¥40000-45000 is under stricter budget as compared to your previous more relax spending average too.
In Canada, I am spending at least 200,000 yen equivalent for regular grocery per month for a family of four. Everything is expensive!
Reminds me of the fish and chips issue in the UK, a common working man meal getting more expensive and shops closing down due to the inability to sustain the business due to rising food prices
💯 right!!!
We gave away all our fish to Europe for decades through to the present, so a slightly different situation.
@@jeffreychongsathien Your logic made no sense at all. You used to give all your fish to Europe back then. But back then the Fish and Chip shops are thriving. Now that you stop giving all of your fish to Europe. Suddenly, Fish and Chip shops goes bust?
And pubs closing because they can’t compete with supermarkets.
Don't forget the VAT.
This breaks my heart. As a ramen connoisseur, I hope things get better but it has been a brutal 4 years since the pandemic started.
Post pandemic his been BRUTAL
You could cure heart break by paying 1,200 yen for a bowl of ramen.
ramenconnoisseur what? just pay more you mofo since exchange rate is freaking low now
I find it hard to understand the "Wall of 1000 Yen." Surely, there must have once been a "Wall of 500 Yen" that was eventually overcome. The problem of a weak Yen seems to be a major factor in many food price increases. The Japanese government could take measures such as raising interest rates to strengthen the Yen. However, Japanese industry is very happy with the weak Yen because it makes their exports cheaper for Americans and Europeans to buy. It's another case of the Japanese government doing what industry wants rather than listening to Japanese consumers. This indifference to consumers will not change until the Japanese change their voting patterns.
I agree, Inflation will happen overtime, and maybe in the future there will be a wall of 1500 Yen. Because prices will keep increasing.
Bruh
Shut up
30 years ago also Ramen was under 1000 or 1000.
That's why it is given that 1000 name there was never 500.
But I would say Inflation will always be there no doubt.
@@Gantaipao Were you born yesterday? There has to have been a time in the past when the Yen was worth twice as much as it is today. Oh, in dollars that time was September 2011. As little as ten years ago, I remember I could get "one coin" (500 Yen) lunches at a small restaurant downtown. That restaurant closed a long time ago.
I looked at the prices of the ramen store I went to in 2019 and some were over 1000 yen, given it has a lot of toppings on the side.
Its an unfair comparison as that was from an osaka tourist spot, while this video is about the locals living there
@@Gantaipao 30 years ago 1000 yen was 10 dollars. Now 1000 yen is 6 dollars.
Nothing is cheap anymore.
if you buy everything with online orders instead of walking to a markeplace, then yes, everything will be expensive no matter the stuff
@@oniplus4545by far the dumbest reply I've seen
It is in Thailand....😊😊😊
@@oniplus4545 In store prices are inflated also, come on
my salary is cheap😢
It’s the same mentality in everywhere as they r considered cheap local food. In Singapore, people expect to pay less for food in hawker centres (street food equivalent) but prices have also increased significantly.
Thank you for translating the reactions of restaurateurs and customers as well as the raw data.
Very interesting reporting. Channel came as a recommendation! Great content.
Even Japan can't escape the financial chaos? I'm so sorry to see this happening. Genuinely concerned that costs of living are becoming increasingly untenable all over the world.
@Harkz0r What planet are you living on? Cost of living has always been high in Japan, especially with regards to food because Japan has long since ceased being able to sustain its own food supply. Even rice is imported.
The yen prices going down play a lot more as japanese import tons of stuff especially meat
Sad that japan got the dollar trap treatment. Is it 1997 and 2008 all over again when all countries deflate against USD because US print a lot of money with uncapped debt😢
Seeing the same trend for restaurant owners in the US and Canada. And it's partly because of the rise in the cost of overhead as well as cost of supplies. Commercial real estate and food/equipment suppliers jacking up prices, causing a cascading effect that hits everyone downstream, including shop owners and the customers.
To understand food inflation, and general inflation one must remember that the root causation of the drastic drop in the UK pound and Japanese yen is the loss of energy independence. The need to import energy for both countries results in a drop in the currency which creates higher costs for basic food, and input costs such as the electricity to run a business, and transport goods.
This is a direct result of nuclear power being taken offline after the Fukushima disaster, which had nothing to do with nuclear power, but was due to poor design of the Fukushima reactors, and placing backup power generators in the basement of the complex, rather than situated higher up on the hillside where they would not have been inundated with water.
Energy security is critical for the strength of a country. The collapse of the german economy due to its reliance on Russian gas and closure of nuclear power for dubious "green" reasons, parallels that of the UK and Japan's loss of economic strength, leading to rising unemployment and a loss of currency purchasing power relative to other countries who are either exporting energy or are energy independent.
It's none of those things.
@@contrarian604it's NONE of those things. There is one cause and only ONE!
It is the result of carbon taxes and Liberal government policies. If you make the price of energy more expensive, everything goes up in price. Agriculture is particularly hard hit because of transportation and refrigeration costs. Makes sure you vote Conservative next election to axe the carbon tax.
@@contrarian604 Carbon taxes and alternative energy result in higher energy prices.
Thank you for the video, I enjoy watching your videos and seeing a different side of Japan than I usually would
Even Korean bakery chains are introducing bread made with rice flour to reduce the use of wheat flour which is imported..
Thanks for translating to English, very easy to view.
One of the best channels regarding Japan. Very grateful you leave Japanese subtitles so its easy to learn while watching too. All articles sourced in the description is extremely helpful too! Subbed
Good to hear these independent ramen restaurants are trying to stay in business in these challenging times by creating ways to reduce costs while providing customers with good food.
Vietnamese also have a a ‘dry’ option for traditional soup noodles like pho and mi. The standard noodles with toppings are served drizzled with an umami-rich, tangy, tomato-based sauce, accompanied with a small side bowl of soup broth to sip between bites. It is as delicious and reduces the soup without eliminating it altogether, and is as popular as the traditional soup version.
Some other cost-saving ideas:
- to reduce fuel costs, use a pressure cooker to make the broth instead of the long simmer
- offer a new ramen soup made with a mixture of chicken, beef, and pork bones in combinations that minimizes costs yet maximizes flavor
- partner with other restaurants and industries to obtain soup bones that they consider byproducts, such as from fried chicken restaurants which can offer boneless fried chicken and sell the bones to ramen shops at a discount to make the soup.
Hard times require innovative thinking and flexibility balancing traditional and new ideas.
You made a great point! I accumulate bones and use a pressure cooker to make ramen broth
Yes, when I heard about the long boiling time, I was also thinking that they they should use a pressure cooker. Really saves on time (labor costs) and fuel.
Pressure cooker can save up to 70% of energy.
Example : Goulash. Normal boiling time about 1 hour. Pressure cooker: 10 minutes heating till pressure has built up. 5 minutes on lowest flame. Then OFF!
This is important to use the rest energy.
Another 10 minutes. Very crude numbers, i don't have a good pressure cooker either. But you will see by yourself...
It's ridiculous he has to consider that. Yes, I live and work in Japan too. The "1000 yen ramen wall" needs to go and it doesn't understand the reality of today.
Based on the customer's comments, the restaurant has quality ramen. I used to live in Kobe before and know Nishinomiya very well. It's very middle class. Not too far from Osaka and Ashiya. They could afford the bump if the ramen retains its great quality. Why would anyone want to agree with his closure?
Well, at the end of the day it's all about supply and demand. Japanese people will probably be more willing to pay more when they realize there will be no more restaurants otherwise. There will probably be pressure on the government to take actions too
Its a matter of how fast price go up. If something has costed the same your entire life then suddenly it cost more, you're going to be surprised. And this is japan where where change is not a concept they can easily accept
Prices at some restaurants around Kabuki-cho are above the 1000¥ and those places are always packed
@cv5420 I live in Japan too, and nobody is going to body the equivalent of over 6 US bucks for a bowl of noodles with a couple of slabs of pork in it, especially when they can get a larger meal for the equivalent cost or less at BK or McDonald's. I used to live in Nishinomiya too, and while it may be considered middle class, people who are trying to get by on salaries of $30k US (and there are lots of them) simply aren't prepared to pay more.
This is crazy in Balkan country Croatia ramen is $18@@a.girouard2988
This is sad. Inflation is out of hand. Shop owners don't want to be the bad guy. All my favorite Japan ramen shops cost no more than 1200 JPY. Average ramen in NYC is 18 - 21 USD + tips.
Comparing Apple to Apple:
No-tipping ICHIRAN Brooklyn recommended set w/ egg: 24 USD (14-01-2025 = 3800 JPY).
Japan ICHIRAN select 5 set w/ egg: 1620 JPY (14-01-2025 = 10.25 USD).
When I am in Japan, I don't go to ICHIRAN. But in the US, I go to ICHIRAN ...
Facinating. Thank you for this.
How irony is when the shop has to close for bankruptcy even after the customers are supporting it BUT not willing to pay more than 1000 yen due to some cultural stigma???
Signs of cultural decay
Would you pay a hamburger for $10?
they get viral with chuuka ryouri after ww2 for carbonhydrate need, not smth thousand year culture thing.
Yes @@irfanhandono
@@irfanhandonoif it’s good, why not?
Here, burgers can cost as much at $20. So what’s your point?
That was very interesting. Thank you for this informative video.
the artificial inflation suppression last 30 years in Japan is baked into Japanese mindset it seems.
What do you mean?
@@Gantaipao Japan hasn't had inflation in the past 30 years, they forgot prices increase naturally.
@@charliechang3744 they don't 🤦🏻♂️ inflation is artificial
@@charliechang3744not naturally, on purpose by central banks
To understand food inflation, and general inflation one must remember that the root causation of the drastic drop in the UK pound and Japanese yen is the loss of energy independence. The need to import energy for both countries results in a drop in the currency which creates higher costs for basic food, and input costs such as the electricity to run a business, and transport goods.
This is a direct result of nuclear power being taken offline after the Fukushima disaster, which had nothing to do with nuclear power, but was due to poor design of the Fukushima reactors, and placing backup power generators in the basement of the complex, rather than situated higher up on the hillside where they would not have been inundated with water.
Energy security is critical for the strength of a country. The collapse of the german economy due to its reliance on Russian gas and closure of nuclear power for dubious "green" reasons, parallels that of the UK and Japan's loss of economic strength, leading to rising unemployment and a loss of currency purchasing power relative to other countries who are either exporting energy or are energy independent.
Japan doesn't increase wages, and even if they do increase the wage it is so little.
How do you expect people to buy and spend money on things when the salary problem is not fixed?
Clearly that was not true as costs were increased, this means someone else must have received higher salaries as a result of these cost increases.
@@zollen123if you have to import the ingredients .......
@@zollen123yeah the Rich elite
@@zollen123 yes but its just consolidation like many other countries in the world, the money is just ending up in the pockets of the few, while the majority aren't getting higher salaries to keep up. the people getting raises aren't eating at these restaurants.
@@zollen123those “someone” are not us normal citizens. Maybe higher ups 😅
Excellent reporting. I thought this was a professional news studio. New subscriber here!
Well this is mainly due to the weak Yen which is because of the decades long policy of the central Bank of Japan to print unlimited amounts of money and have negative interest rates to artifically support the stagnant economy. They've been kicking the can down the road for decades. The Japanese people who have been protected by their central bank now must have to feel pain and make very painful changes which is unlikely because Japan has legendary at not changing since the 90s. It would not suprise me if it went to $1=200 Yen in a few years. Japanese should ask WHY the yen is so weak.
because america keeps printing the dollar
Study English. Participate more in the global econony. Reject isolationist policies.
@@DD-DD-DD You nailed it perfectly. Litteraly.
difficult to turn around an economy with little skilled labour immigration ( cause people make triple or quadruple higher salaries in other countries ) and tons of old people, failing pension system and insane bureaucracy and a culture of never changing anything. it really isn't looking good for them. and they have a crazy amount of debt which will collapse on them if they raised interest rates.
@@thejumper7282 If the US printed more currency, it weakens the purchasing power of the dollar, which would actually help the Japanese. The US keeps the dollar strong and stable with trade policies, and many parts of the world still sees the US dollar as the gold standard, despite economic difficulties the US has faced off and on.
That's US $6.35 with current rate. In comparison, ramen soup in Washington DC area ~$18.00.
It sounds good to you, but Japanese people aren't earning dollars. They earn yen.
Median salary in Japan is about $24,000USD
Wait it's only 18 in Washington?! Compared to the wages we get in Berlin, 15€ is even less affordable here. Which is truly ridiculous. I think Germany is one of the hardest hit nations from the Ukraine war due to the natural gas dependency
In which city? :o in Berlin it's 15-20 usually
Compared to the Washington wages, it's much less affordable here
@DD-DD-DD
You have to put it in perspective. Average apartment in the USA is 1000 to close to 5000 a month not including other bills. And some make 35k a year
Thanks a lot for the great reporting! And you're on Bluesky, great! I will follow you!
The official statistics claim fresh food inflation is under 3% yet we have clear cut cases here of varied items increasing 50-100% in price over four years and this is hardly a complete list. Dairy and rice are just as bad.
The reality is interest rates should be raised to strengthen the yen but they can't do that as too much debt was racked up funding wasteful projects and welfare for old people so they'd never be able to pay the interest. It won't ever get better unless it gets a lot worse.
you can always go full hirohito
Great content. Thank you
Ramen has become very expensive here in the USA as well. Some places charge up to $20 a bowl now, which is JP¥3,159.
its not worth 1$
I live in the Bay Area, Silicon Valley
Food prices are absurd. Thankfully, I skip meals. But still, it’s asinine.
Same here in Chicago! That's so pricey for soup x.x
I live in LA and that’s pretty much how it’s been for years
Yep. 18-22 dollar dish.
this channel is great, i recently moved to japan and do not yet speak japanese but would love to listen to more news!
1000 yen ceiling? Would they want to test that assumption first before going for bankruptcy?
Many small business ownwers in this country feel stuck are willing to get out when the first chance they get.
Wondering that too.
It happens everywhere. I've seen Americans who insist there's nothing they can do to save their business as they try none of the options. Typically there's a way to pivot.
This ramen owner is still better while some just close the shop without telling anyone then vanish.
You would understand the hesitation if you live here. The hard clinging to tradition, the pressure of "reputation" , the mindset of trying not to inconvenience others, and the shock factor of change in a country that hasn't changed since the 80's. All these and more are pressures
Really informative video!
Same happening in Australia too, and other countries....
paid $20 for a takeaway banh mi and Vietnamese coffee yesterday in a heavily Asian area in Brisbane. This is simple street food (like $2.50 in Vietnam). I don't begrudge the owners for charging those prices, but it's become too much.
@@GreenTeaViewer That is a lot. Here in Perth my local Vietnamese bakery charges $9 for a banh mi.
My country is one of the poorer countries in the world yet the costs of living is as high as Japan. The rise of prices in the world is absurdly rising to the point it's hard to afford anything
Yeah Inflation is crazy here. Prices have almost doubled for most commodities.
Prices have doubled worldwide.
If you want to see real craziness in commodities, take a look at the cocoa futures chart sometime. Prices ran up like a damn penny stock.
The cost of vegetables and fruits are crazy. I am paying about $50 a week for it.
If Japan can grow all of their food domestically then the rising cost wouldn't have been an issue. They should rethink how to use the land for every day food more and less for the premium products, or else Japanese will go to hunger. Crazy to think such a developed country is going backwards so fast.
I thought there are some Japan residence that are being abandoned. It is good if those places can be used for farming.
A lower population in Japan would actually be a good thing if there was a strong rural sentiment. But too many want to live in the city. It will sort itself out unless the country gets invaded.
Multi storey house farming?
You are basically dont know anything about food production and limited land space in Japan. Have you been to Japan? You want to double or triple Japan food cost? They can't do it becos of their weather and limited land space, their produce are better is becos they need more time to grow compare to other countries, hence expensive rice, expensive fruits, expensive wheat, expensive vege.... The people are unable sustain higher price food, now you want them to plant their own food? Vast plantation is not ideological in Japan, thats why they imported......
I still don’t understand why Japan isn’t focusing more on its families.
Families that are happy and doing well grow, and that is the backbone to any economy.
Instead, in Japan you are expected to start at a low wage and work grueling hours.
Many households can’t afford to have the mother stay at home.
The stress of that alone stops people from having children at all.
People want to have families, but both parents working for less than they are worth, and not seeing the children for 10 or more hours a day would almost make staring a family seem pointless.
What is the point of having children if you never see them? On top of that, everything is more expensive so having more children would make you even more financially insecure than you already are.
Seems like the only people who are benefiting from the current economy are the tourists, but now with all the stress, many businesses turn their backs on tourists as well.
So Japan, what do you want? Thriving, growing, happy families? An economy that relies on tourism? Or are you just going to give up and slowly go extinct?
I have the same concept with Mc Donalds, I cannot bring my self to pay the high prices charged now.
What's is happening in Japan is happening everywhere. Restaurants worldwide are closing.
People are working in the cost of food, housing, fuel, is increasing, but their wages aren't increasing.
America and Europe has been dealing with this as long as Japan has. Citizens pay three times much as Japan to live and job loss increase daily.
You may not believe this, but tourist or foreigners coming to Japan will not be able to save them. When you get too bad, the foreigners gonna return home. Back to the very home day left with the same conditions., Karma.
Japan has a different problem. It imports a lot of what it consumes, and the Japanese Yen has been very weak against the US dollar since the end of 2021; worse than levels seen in the late 90s. One thing Japan does have in common with the US is wage stagnation, but suppressed consumer price increases kept things affordable for the Japanese until recently.
Great channel 💯 👌
How do do the chains overcome the 1000 yen wall? As far as I can remember Ippudo and Ichiran charge more than 1000 yen for ramen
those chains are mostly frequented by tourists, and in the city center
usually the smaller ramen places are located in places outside the tokyo centre and more frequented by locals who dont earn as much
@@deekei which is interesting in itself. beef is pretty cheap in texas. you would think it would be the same for country side in japan. but maybe the issue is they dont have as much land.
those were always considered mega overpriced ramen even 10 years ago and nobody of the working class (salary men on their lunch break) would go to such a place. 1000 yen per lunch even today is still very unsustainable for most people, which is why many people went to 600-800 yen lunches
Give an extra value. Some chains were collab with anime and people line up for 2000+ yen ramen.
@@phgamer4393 Yes, land is much more limited in japan. Also animal feed has gotten pricier as this video mentioned. Thats why japan has historically focused on more quality than quantity in the beef production and its considered more of a luxury food afaik. Japan has half the land area of texas, while having 4x more people, and a lot of that land is not usable for farming or cattle ranching.
In the future they will laugh at this "wall of 1000 yen" when they are paying 1000 yen for an egg.
Before Pearl Harbor, 1 Japanese Yen = 1 US dollar. After Hiroshima, 1 US Dollar = 400 Japanese yen.
@StevenSiew2 before World War 2, 1 dollar was worth 3.6 yen.
Nice try Stephen @@StevenSiew2
Cost of goods are increasing every year but the price of 1 bowl of Ramen hasnt changed much for past 30 years. Ramen shop i have been going for 30 years, they finally increased price last year but only like 50 cents.
Raw ingredient prices are rising particularly because food is imported. The Yen is weakening relative to the US dollar. Over here, we face a similar issue, but my country's currency has not weakened significantly. Instead, it seems to be profiteering. In my country, almost every food item is imported, with much being grown in a neighbouring country. The prices in that country have remained relatively stable so it is unlikely to be a rising production cost issue.
I think the Japanese government should look towards moving to industrial-scale agriculture instead of the current inefficient small-scale system. A shift that will improve Japan's self-sufficiency and boost food exports too. Japanese rice and produce sell for a premium outside Japan.
Could be tough considering how mountainous Japan is. Take a look at google maps and you can see how little flat land Japan has compared to other countries.
Yup, every time we go out for food it’s feeling like I am being ripped off. Prices in cost and space leases are going to topple the system here. We are going to see more closures of food establishments. I can’t even afford to take my family of 4 out to dinner once a month. I don’t know how larger families are even feeding their kids at home.
Working there in year 2000, a large ramen cost 550-800 yen, depending on side ingredient. Soba would cost slightly a tad more, but never hit 1000, unless you had alot of side dishes/ingredients or the place is just hyped. This was Tokyo...fast forward...20 years...and this is the price today. I remember sitting along blue collar workers, and eating large simple meals, freeflow green/buckwheat tea at the cost of 400-480, that had large portions of noodle, no side ingredient aside the garnish/seaweeds/spring oinions/wasabi on the side....It would have even been around 300-350 in smaller areas...but...inflation sure has made everything impossible to sustain.
japan hasn’t had inflation for 20 years. So it makes sense.
Covid really made prices go up. I recently got ramen in New York, and it was $21. Didn't taste like $21
Fuck...$21 ☹️
That's just NY at any century
And NYC ramen is not even authentic
As someone who spent a major part of their life in Japan, $21 ramen feels crazy. Even with lots of toppings and special ingredients. I ate once in another US state, and it was over $40 after taxes and having to pay tip.
Even in Tokyo, I doubt you will pay more than $8 including all tax and other fees.
Crazy that in the States we pay close to $15-20 for ramen bowls. Obviously not the same since its seen as a foreign food. Still wish that prices were closer to Japan
In LA, it’s 30 dollars bc of tips too
Japanese ramen is a luxury lmao
You have your problem literally at minute 1. I love Japan but sorry,clingin to ancient beliefs and tradition is not always a good thing. Closing instead of raising the price accordingly is pure bullshit. If we have shortage of water one day and it doubles the price,what do we do then,just die because you cannot change a price based of the historical moment you live in?... " Sorry i cannot pay that much for the water because 100 years ago it costed less,guess i'll die then,thanks anyway". Love tradition but they are also so damn stuck up on useless stufff and hurting themselves in the process.
The point everyone is missing is that ramen has evolved from a working class food Into a gourmet dish. This is natural because the working class of involved into the upper class at the same time so of course the price should increase. I think the Bank of Japan and the implicit Law of one price Respected by businesses in a particular industry has done a great job up to this point keeping the economy stable. The fact is people in Japan like to maintain things as they are. It’s one reason why the Infrastructure and level of services are generally so good in Japan. This can be a double edged katana though. Same as in any industry there should be low end options and high-end options. A shop like this looks like it’s on the high end, so he SHOULD raise prices! Customers should keep coming in spite of that. He probably doesn’t want to raise prices out of loyalty to his customers but The customers should be loyal too.
Groceries in Japan have increased a lot and a lot more since January 1st. My local Gyomu supermarket charges 600 yen for cabbage/stem of broccoli. They used to be about 200-300 just last month..
I don’t understand how people can survive with these prices because salaries have not changed. I’m so lucky I’m making usd so I’m not worried but I truly worry for my friends. I mean, sure, they will survive..
Great reporting. My family has been feeling the crunch. I cook most of our meals and it's been harder and harder to avoid processed food because produce is through the roof. I've been here for twenty five years, and food self-sufficiency decreases every year. Along with soaring costs, each time a chain restaurant takes over from a family restaurant they extract money out of local communities for the investors.
Well, in Malaysia, a bowl of layman food called wanton mee used to be RM5. The wall is around RM6 to 7. Now its RM9.
Has the prices increased in Malaysia too?
@mokisan 8 years ago when i was studying in Malaysia, the wall is around 7-8 rm, anything above that likely you are eating at a nice mall.Now 9rm is somewhat like regular price for outside food
@ everywhere in the world
It's already 11-12
Eventually, someone's going to break that wall, and if it's anything like when such walls were broken here, there will be a massive increase in pricing as providers speculate as to what the new limit is, because they're trying to figure out a workable cost they'll have to live with for the next 10-30 years, then once they hit the limit and public outcry becomes too much they'll slowly dial it back down to the point where the price is one consumers are now willing to pay. And there will be a whole lot friction and changes during this period too. We talk about supply and demand in the abstract a lot, but it's not as if buyers and sellers go around with their price points labeled on their forehead, so finding the meeting point is always pretty messy. And people's demand with food is usually very elastic.
Also fun fact, but a bowl of tonkatsu ramen is here is $13 USD or 2,038 JPY. In comparison the best deal I can find for burger, fries, and a drink from a casual dining restaurant is is $10 or 1568 JPY with the average being closer to $13-$15. (Note: To anyone reading this, this still doesn't mean a whole lot because wages and cost of living between the two countries are very different. You need to do a much larger analysis to determine which is truly more expensive.)
Edit: Also something else to think about is while Ukraine was one of the largest exporters of wheat before the war, Russia was one of the largest exporters of fertilizer. You could probably fill a whole video with the knock on effects of the Ukraine-Russia war on food prices.
Also thank you for reporting!
This is sad :(. I went to japan and its a beautiful country. I hope that their economy can recover.
Solution is easy. Offer smaller plates, put fewer pieces of pork. Replace pork with some other protein choices.
Fillet O Fish McDonald's Burger costs so much I make my own at home now. And with all the ingredients, It still costs less.
In the Bay Area of California a bowl of ramen costs $16-$20 US dollars. They give you a minimal amount of ingredients, mostly broth and noodles. Back when you could get a bowl for $7-$10 it was worth it. Now it's too expensive for what you get
Feels like soup-less ramen isn't really the answer to this. Costs are cut sure but you just lose the customers that would have visited because they loved the soup. Feels like a operating model change out of ramen would be a better answer than removing the costly soup component.
Thanksh for the video! 😀
Great video thanks for sharing it and educating the world about ramens the main diet of Japan 🇯🇵 inflation is through the roof in this world 🌎
I sure hope the loyal customers band together and encourage a price hike that would keep the restaurant afloat. It’s always a shame to see local businesses fail like that.
Very interesting insight
I absolutely don’t want Japan to go through this, good ramen shops are closing.
I think countries should be as self-sufficient as possible with food to prevents situations like this from happening.
That's gonna be a problem in Japan's case since it doesn't have a lot of land to grow food.
@@wchan39and corporations control the supplies too
The right business move should be increasing the price according to the rising ingredients prices while maintaining the quality of the Ramen.
what does government do to save the situation?
they raised tax yes u heard me right
Not so loud! Our own government can hear you!
Stayed in Japan from Jan to Oct of 2003 in Tokyo, and I was able to have a good meal for below 500 yen, good food wasn't expensive and veggies were priced decently at the stores in the residential neighborhoods...
My favourite ramen place is in Tokyo Station and serves vegan ramen. They could try offering vegan options, or use chicken or fish stock if the problem is the increase in price of pork.
It’s not just pork, prices of everything is increasing. Especially vegetables.
Is it gluten free non GMO sustainable & ethically sourced mAAAn??
Not to mention Udon or even Soba shops. Here in the USA our grocery prices are also on the rise. It seems that there is no end in sight. My neighbor grows his own veggies and raises chickens for eggs.
....I like how japanese ppl simply don't know how inflation works.
In Portland, Oregon, Japanese restaurants charge around $20 for ramen, which is over 3,000 yen.
I'm a foreigner working here for around 7 years small independent ramen shops are way more delicious compared to big company ramen shops.
I live in Japan for almost two decades now. And my last ramen was over a year. Watching this video made me to go eat ramen outside again lol. Gonna support them.
Which means that those that remain, do so by reducing quality of ingredients or even by using expired or less fresh ingredients.
From the documentaries I've seen, Japanese society has very discerning tastes. Their cuisine values simplicity, using minimal seasoning to let high-quality ingredients shine. Even affordable or at least what is considered affordable meals like ramen are held to high standards. Any drop in quality can easily turn customers away. Culturally, the Japanese tend to be frugal and prioritizing quality over quantity.
Um... seems like the easy solution to this problem is for the Japanese government to pass a law that say no one can charge less than 1,200 yen for ramen... anywhere in Japan. That would break the 1000 yen wall overnight... and nobody could undercut anyone else. But if food costs are really the culprit, why aren't ALL ramen shops simply raising their prices (together), incrementally, as food prices rise--to reflect those higher costs? (Why would they ALL essentially choose to go out of business?)
As a Customer instead of getting sad why not just pay more than ¥1000? Your favourite shops are closing down going bankrupt because you don’t want to pay for what the product is worth. Everything goes up. This is how it works.
Business 101…when supplies go up, that has to be charged to the customer to keep up with inflation
Rising cost is a major problem, and cost can not pass to customer. More restaurants will close, it is sad to know this
Japanese ramen restaurants should just accept the fact that prices of everything has been rising due to inflation and supply chain factors & adjust their prices accordingly. Patrons can surely understand their predicament and shell out a few more yen as their way to help out a business serving good food afloat.
Planned and controlled development in North America made sure the small venue restaurents don't even have a LOCATION to set up shop: New housing developments have a major food store, then FRANCHISED multi-natiionals ONLY all on the same price point, plus a bank, maybe a sports store, and that's it. At least in Japan small business based in the community was kept as a concept. We dont' even HAV E that now in the big cities in the newer areas.
Soup, through all of history, has been the food of the poor. You can always make more and stretch ingredients. It’s made with the cheapest parts. Mirepoix (veggies), and bones, scraps. The leftovers basically, boiled together. A good, fine stock is the basis of all cooking. Stock making is the first thing you learn in school.
That soup is too expensive, it shows a massive shift, and how bad finances are. This is BAD.
This is becoming a worldwide problem. Food inflation is totally out of control, both at restaurants and at supermarkets, and i attribute this primarily to climate change initiatives that are driving up costs for farming and transportation. We are reaching a point where people will have to decide if they are willing to starve in order to have clean air and less changes in climate. Fossil fuels are what enabled prosperity in many countries around the world and it’s curtailment is having the reverse effect.
Because the price of running the business at a quality level is so expensive and people don’t raise their prices.
If all ramen restaurants can agree to raise prices, people won't have a choice of paying more than 1000 yen if they want ramen. The fix is as simple as that. Inflation increasing the price of all food hasn't stopped us from buying food. We have no choice.
Great report, thank you. Very sad that the humble ramen restaurant is in trouble.
Japan has gotten crazy expensive in the last couple years, wages haven’t budged. Something has to give.
The answer is Australia.
If Japan invests into agriculture in Australia that has vast land, and infrastructure, it can offset the cost of importing from existing partners and secure their way of life. However it'll still need a decade for this infra to work.
Leave it to Japan for someone to rather close the small business that supports their family rather than charge a viable amount due to societal pressure.
Japanese politeness working its magic for conglomerates
Japan is all about quality. They do not cut corners. I feel sorry for these shops.
Japan needs to use a two tier system.
How it works is the at prices go up for all but locals can get reimbursed by submitting receipt. Tourists end up paying the higher price.
Disneyland in California provides discounts for locals. Just need to provide DL/ID.
Given that rice is now permanently high price since this year's "shortage", people here in Japan are getting smacked in the face about the reality of inflation and how businesses are having to deal with inevitable input price increases. People are living in la la land when it comes to how low the expect restaurant prices to be. No policy or plan from the government on how to tackle 30+ years of economic and wage stagnation . . .
Japan needs new import and export deals with Canada. Japan makes legit good quality products and good safe food. Japanese take pride in what they do so they value and focus on a customers satisfaction and experience and repeat business. Japan is not wasteful nor do they sacrifice quality for profit. Reputation and trust builds a strong business
I think the "Wall of 1000 yen" should easily transition into a "Wall of 1500 yen" given the long term inflationary trends. Looking outside of Japan in Asia it is quite common to see ramen priced at 1500-2000 yen. But the Japanese have added struggles given the Japanese yen has lost 30-40% in value in the past 3 years against stronger currencies like the US dollar.
The reality is as shops close the ones that are left will allow them to start increasing prices. The 1000 wall will soon be 2000 yen wall. This is just a reality of life.
The business perspective in Japan is super weird. They can't raise their Ramen price but they can buy those overpriced fruits. The dedication and efforts of running a ramen shop vs farmers cultivating these 'flawless" fruits seems unbalanced.