Hawaii has become too expensive for Japanese tourists.

[Buntaro]

$20 for a bowl of ramen, at a time when yen is exchanging at a record low against the dollar? Hotel prices have doubled from ten years ago? Yikes!

Japanese Travelers Are Steering Clear Of Hawaii - Honolulu Civil Beat

Once Hawaii's top international tourist market, Japanese visitors are staying away from the islands amid inflated prices and a weak yen

www.civilbeat.org

 

[Majestic]

Here in California we pay $70+ for two bowls of ramen and two beers. Not including tip. Its scandalous compared to Japan's prices. So much so that Mrs. Majestic doesn't even suggest going out for ramen anymore. She can't get over the cost differential, and she feels like she is being cheated every time she goes to that ramen place.

 

[nice gaijin]

Here in California we pay $70+ for two bowls of ramen and two beers. Not including tip. Its scandalous compared to Japan's prices. So much so that Mrs. Majestic doesn't even suggest going out for ramen anymore. She can't get over the cost differential, and she feels like she is being cheated every time she goes to that ramen place.

You're in California too?

Yeah, the Ramen boom has ruined things, with so many places trying to capitalize on its popularity, and most of the ramen here is disappointing anyways. I'd pour one out for us, but alcohol is too expensive to waste!

Marugame has opened a few stores around California, and while it's expensive for Japan, it's quite reasonable for California! They even have a tonkotsu option which is like udon ramen

 

[Majestic]

You're in California too?

Yes. Kitakata Ramen was our "go to" ramen place here - mostly for the convenience. It's close by, and nice, clean, lots of parking. But I think my wife cannot shake the idea that the same meal in Japan would be half price and taste far better. It's kind of an ongoing theme with many Japanese restaurants around here (and there are a ton). None of them live up to the high standards set by Japanese restaurants in Japan, and the price here is almost always double what we would pay in Japan.

 

[mdchachi]

Yes. Kitakata Ramen was our "go to" ramen place here - mostly for the convenience. It's close by, and nice, clean, lots of parking. But I think my wife cannot shake the idea that the same meal in Japan would be half price and taste far better. It's kind of an ongoing theme with many Japanese restaurants around here (and there are a ton). None of them live up to the high standards set by Japanese restaurants in Japan, and the price here is almost always double what we would pay in Japan.

Go visit Kura Sushi to keep the feeling going.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

450 yen, a dumpling were 300 yen, and, as for the yesterday's lunch, ramen was 750 yen in total.
It includes a consumption tax.
3.10 dollars, a dumpling are 2.06 dollars, and ramen is 5.16 dollars in total by the dollar conversion.
Yesterday's rate, 100 yen = 0.6898 dollars.
Is the ramen shop of the country of Fukuoka, but is delicious.

The price of general ramen is from 700 yen (4.82 dollars) to 1000 yen (6.89 dollars).

「ラーメン一杯に払える値段」の全国平均、「802円」だった！ それ以上は高すぎ！？(全文表示)｜Jタウンネット

「安い、早い、うまい」――この３拍子が揃うフードといえばラーメンを置いてほかにないだろう。カレーに並ぶ日本の国民食といっていい。博多のとんこつラーメン（Koss...

j-town.net

 

[Buntaro]

I agree with what Hiroyuki is saying. It seems to me that, in Japan, ramen is considered inexpensive fast food, whereas in America it's considered expensive gourmet 'international' food . I wish I could find $7 ramen in America!

 

[Petaris]

Just as bad here in Chicago. Looking at almost $20 for a bowl of ramen that is OK and only marginally better than instant ramen.

 

[mdchachi]

Just as bad here in Chicago. Looking at almost $20 for a bowl of ramen that is OK and only marginally better than instant ramen.

I guess the moral of the story is to skip the mediocre ramen and go for tacos.

 

[thomas]

Just as bad here in Chicago. Looking at almost $20 for a bowl of ramen that is OK and only marginally better than instant ramen.

3,000 JPY for a bowl of ramen is.... madness. How much are sushi in the US?

 

[Petaris]

3,000 JPY for a bowl of ramen is.... madness. How much are sushi in the US?

Grocery store sushi, when you find it, is fairly expensive. Restaurant sushi makes flying to Japan for sushi look reasonable No, not quite that bad but its pretty expensive and I question the freshness.

 

[Majestic]

We get grocery store sushi at the nearest Japanese grocery store, and its pretty good. Costs us maybe $40 or $50 for enough sushi to fill ourselves. Actually its the only sushi we eat. There is a high class sushi restaurant near us that I want to try out, but I'm afraid Mrs. Majestic will not be able to enjoy it because she'll be mentally calculating how much the same would cost in Japan.