When I was in Japan in 2012, one U.S. dollar bought me about 77 yen. Today, a dollar will get you 161 yen. That's one reason tourists from around the world are flocking to Japan. (The other reasons are that Japan is incredibly safe, clean, beautiful, and becomes more fascinating every time you return.)
However, some local governments and businesses are getting fed up with the massive influx of Westerners, many of whom are obnoxious and disrespectful toward their hosts, and they are jacking up prices at popular attractions and restaurants.
According to this Time Out Tokyo article, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Himeji Castle in Hyogo is considering increasing the price of admission from 1,000 yen to 4,000 yen for tourists. And local residents will pay even less than the current 1,000 yen price.
One restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo, has added a notice on its menu that Japanese people will receive a 1,000 yen discount on their meal. Everyone else pays full fare. The owner said the price difference would offset the "extra labor of teaching foreigners the right manners at Japanese restaurants."
And the governor of Osaka is considering increasing the fee for tourists staying there, which could bring in substantial revenue for the 2025 Osaka Expo.
Previously: Logan Paul goes to Japan and treats everyone there like sh*t
