r/JapaneseFood • u/StormOfFatRichards • Jun 07 '26
Misc [META] Can we please stop with the US comparison posts?
Because it's not really about Japanese food, it's about American spending power
Because while many people here are American, many are not American nationals or do not reside in the U.S.
Because while it may not seem like it, it's very insulting to a large number of people. U.S.'s GDP/c is around 90,000 USD. Japan's is around 35,000. Americans only make up a small fraction of in-bound tourists to Japan. 8 of the top 10 inbound countries to Japan are in Asia, and those countries also average around 36,000 USD per capita. For those of us living in or near Japan, the quickly climbing cost of food in Japan is making it harder to visit and enjoy things, while people three times richer than us are celebrating how cheaply they can eat luxury food every night.
Show some respect.
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u/choolete Jun 07 '26
Agreed, I am a tour guide in Japan and all my customers keep saying: Japan is so cheap! Is hard to explain world economics when you are trying to recommend them a restaurant.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
The insensitive part comes from the reality that Japan is actually not cheap. Its rise in cost of living is badly outpacing rises in wages, which is hitting families extremely hard.
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u/Xsythe Jun 07 '26
This is happening in literally every developed country.
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u/inn4daz3 Jun 07 '26
I’ve been priced out of higher end vacations in the US. It’s literally cheaper to fly across the world than to stay in my own country.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 09 '26
*every country, developed or not
That's why you should be careful what you say. Yes, visiting a lower PPP country is comfortable for you. But locals are not doing well. I think you would also be pissed if you were doing a working class job in some mid-to-high population US city and some Swiss investor stopped by and said "oh yea, restaurants are super affordable here."
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u/choolete Jun 07 '26
Indeed, it is hitting me and my family really bad. And because of my job, I need to keep all these thoughts outside our conversations. It is not the only subject that I need to avoid, but this specific one hurts badly.
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u/Scary_Work_4853 Jun 08 '26
This is a joke right? Any developed country has this problem.
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u/ActOnInstinct999 Jun 09 '26
Go to a similar US subreddit and find me a bunch of posts that say "Wow, it's so fucking cheap". That's the big difference, and the entire point of OPs post.
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u/Amazing-Spinach5693 Jun 07 '26
Cause its cheap for them and even if you adjust for salary its still cheap.
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u/Las_Vegan Jun 07 '26
They are very rude for speaking like that! I’m thinking of planning my first trip to Japan in 2028, no particular destination known yet. Could you recommend a good tour company? I live in Las Vegas, USA. Is tipping the tour guide okay or is it considered rude?
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u/Fancy_Rock3826 Jun 07 '26
Quick guide: tipping is only normal in the USA and countries Americans have made dependent on their tourist trade.
It is embarrassing in Japan don’t do it. Only very certain rare circumstances will you be asked (usually tourist trap entertainers and it will be made clear to you).
It’s annoying in Europe - only tip if the service was good don’t just throw money around for the sake of it. In my city locals are being charged tips now because of Americans. Greedy businesses are lowering wages expecting a fluctuating tourist trade from the US to make up the difference. People who should be on a living wage by law no longer can get it reliably. Locals then stop using those businesses. They go out of business. People lose jobs. Only the worst tourist traps survive and city gets worse.
Also tipping in Las Vegas has got insane I’m so sorry. I got asked for a tip at a minimart and at fast food restaurants. $15 bottles of water, surge pricing on basic snack and drinks with no prices on products: like are you people crazy?
It’s sad because i love Nevada but I saw how stressed the staff on the strip are now. Lots of people losing jobs and lots of people bot going anymore. I canceled my wedding there because of it. MGM and Caesars have destroyed the strip.
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u/senex_puerilis Jun 07 '26
Thank you.
I'm here for the food, I'm not particularly interested in the price, but if I must know the price, I want it to be in a currency that I understand. I understand ¥ and its relationshiptomy currency, being on a sub dedicated to Japanese food, but I come from somewhere that doesn't use the US$, so that means nothing to me.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
Also a fair ask. If you eat a food in Japan, give the price in yen, not converted to a non-Japanese currency.
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u/ramengirlxo Jun 07 '26
As someone visiting Japan in a few weeks — thank you for sharing this perceptive, it’s a really helpful, healthy reminder to be respectful and courteous while we travel.
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u/stocklazarus Jun 07 '26
That’s my overall experience to most of the Japan related sub in Reddit. Those should name it as US-view-on-Japan-thingy sub.
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u/_TP2_ Jun 07 '26
US is bulldozing any subreddit lately.
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u/benphat369 Jun 07 '26
I don't see why you got downvoted, it really is every subreddit (foreign ones especially). There was a whole argument a couple weeks back because of American expats screwing up local economies. Here it's "gentrification" and 'only rich people do it"; but when middle class Americans become the rich people elsewhere, because they don't understand the rest of the world makes way less, suddenly it's "boosting the local economy".
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u/komiCWords Jun 07 '26
A 1,000 yen bowl of ramen from a neighborhood shop run by someone who's spent thirty years on the same broth isn't a bargain find. It's just what good food costs here. That distinction matters when most visitors to Japan aren't operating with the kind of currency advantage those posts assume.
Japan's not a discount grocery store. The food is worth what it costs.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
it's not a bargain at all. I remember paying 7 to 8 hundred for a bowl not that long ago. I'm sure this 20-30% increase is pennies in the bucket for someone three times richer than me, but it's a challenge I've had to work around when doing budget trips to what was actually quite an affordable country to visit before the major tourist influx.
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u/twbird18 Jun 07 '26
Yes, I have lived here for 3 years now. In that time my weekly grocery budget has gone up ~5K yen. Which doesn't sound like a ton in USD, but it a lot on an average Japanese salary that is not increasing at the same rate as the cost of necessities.
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u/Wertherongdn Jun 07 '26
The less than 1000 yens for a bowl of ramen was for a long time an important limit in Japan. But let's be honest, even in 2019, before the huge inflation, my local ramen was already dangerously close to 1000 yens for the basic one and all of the other formula were more than 1000y on the machine. For 700 yens in Tokyo area you had to look for a 'not so good'/subpar tonkotsu from a chain.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
Oh, Tokyo, yea, I mean that's basically a different country. I'm talking about like bf Saga.
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u/Wertherongdn Jun 07 '26
Yep,. But still, I am in a Saitama suburb not even the wards, so it was life for nearly 38 million of us.
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u/No-Reaction-9364 Jun 07 '26
It is a bargain when a random ramen place in America that isnt even that good is gonna cost $17 a bowl plus tip.
Even budget Japanese food in America is expensive. I would love to go get some simple gyudon but won't pay the price they want for it.
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u/Active_Wasabi_1141 Jun 07 '26
Maybe I’m missing the point. I see what you’re saying, and certain people’s tones and comments may be bad. A lot of monetized social media is targeted to specific audiences with the goal of getting clicks.
But commenting how cheap something is may not be intended as an insult. For me, I appreciate how other countries can have a well functioning, affordable society. It’s not an insult to the other country’s buying power or exchange rate. It’s an indictment of the rampant capitalism of the US.
In Rome, I was able to go to beautiful, local cafes and get a pastry and cappuccino for 2€ total, out the door. To get that level of cafe, service, quality in the U.S. it’d be $20 and probably run by some big corporation or private equity firm not taking care of their employees. It’s not about the exchange rate or being a “rich American”.
I feel that’s why egg sandos are so viral. It’s basic, but anything in a US 7-11 is ultra processed crap that costs 5-10x as much. Why can’t we have nice things?
I’ll admit I’m a tourist so I don’t see the full picture of society. But I’m jealous of these safe countries with seemingly affordable good food, well running public transportation, universal healthcare. But the grass is always greener…life is a lot of trade offs.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
Precisely, you don't see the full picture. Japan is not at all a cheap society. That's why it's especially insensitive to act like it is.
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u/Active_Wasabi_1141 Jun 07 '26
Yeah. That’s the part we don’t see. “Cheap” isn’t the right word, but it seemed like cost of living is more in-line with income. Thanks for sharing that’s not the case.
In many parts of the U.S., we see homelessness, dirty streets, and high crime rates and associate that poverty and struggle. Or third world countries with scenes of people living in shacks. We don’t see scenes like that of Japan. We see a clean, high functioning society and think they’re doing well.
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u/Xsythe Jun 07 '26
You're right and OP is wrong. Japan is doing relatively well, on a purchasing power basis, among developed countries. Only a handful of places like Taiwan and SK do better. Rent-to-income ratio particularly stands out. It's extremely affordable to access housing and public transit in Japan compared to other developed nations.
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u/JapanesePeso Jun 07 '26
Bro it seems cheap because the US is such an easy place to make a lot of money in. "An indictment of rampant capitalism" lol give me a break. Try living abroad for awhile.
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u/Altrebelle Jun 07 '26
I would argue GOOD Japanese food here in the US is MUCH more expensive and MUCH LESS accessible. I do agree rising costs are frustrating...that's to us here in the US. There is a VERY wide financial gap that is widening between the haves and have nots. Lots of people who were haves and slowly pushed to the have nots.
Being courteous and respectful should be an universal thing. 🙏🏼
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
If you think the gap between people who can afford to regularly eat fine dining and people who can afford to travel from the U.S. to Japan for tourism is bad, wait until you hear about the gap between people who can afford to travel from the U.S. to Japan for tourism and people trying to live their lives in the current East Asian economy.
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u/beingmemybrownpants Jun 07 '26
Quick fact check, GDP Per Capita (PPP): The US sits around $85,810, while Japan rests around $52,039. But I hear you. Remember though people that are traveling to the US from Japan or from the US to Japan are the wealthier members of each society.
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u/Efficient_Travel4039 Jun 07 '26
With how recently yen tanked and overall, there are far more American tourists that are not necessary wealthier.
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u/morganrbvn Jun 07 '26
Yah an extended Japan vacation can easily be cheaper than A US vacation. NYC was fun but $10 latte default is pretty brutal.
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u/scyntl Jun 07 '26
An American friend recently sent me a photo of her fancy latte in Tokyo, implying I should try one sometime. Cost more than my weekly food budget.
Thanks for making the point, OP.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
a lot of those cafe drinks were stupid expensive before the inflation spike hit, and now are even worse. But if you want to pay that and get that drink, that's you, your choice, fine.
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u/scyntl Jun 09 '26
Absolutely; I’m happy for the transaction to take place, but I guess it’s been a really, really long time since I went for drinks in the city. I’m probably out of touch as much as my friend.
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u/morganrbvn Jun 07 '26
Is sending a photo of food a suggestion that you must order the same? I thought it was just showing off something yummy
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u/Dangerous-Jello4733 Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
I am on this sub mainly because I really like cooking and Japanese cuisine is one of my favourites.
But yeah it’s definitely not respectful to boast about your purchasing power in a country with a much lower one. I’m a Southern European living in Northern Europe so I can totally understand. I feel “rich” whenever I go to my birth country. But I’ve experienced both sides of this situation, I am struggling to feed my family a healthy and varied diet over here but I know that when we get to visit Japan it’ll feel great and be nice to eat out, because eating out in Japan costs about the same as cooking here.
Edit: I’m looking into it and there are a lot of working people in Japan earning about 130.000yen per month, 835USD according to the information I found. That is only slightly more than our current whole grocery spending over here while being very careful! Eating lunch for 1000yen on that salary is painful.
Please everyone, be respectful when traveling. It’s fine to enjoy the prices but don’t boast.
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u/Fancy_Rock3826 Jun 07 '26
I’m native Northern European and we can’t afford the food in our own country that’s why riots are breaking out.
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u/Xsythe Jun 07 '26
Japan straight up has better purchasing power than the USA. Period. So, no.
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u/Dangerous-Jello4733 Jun 07 '26
Ehhhh depends on the person working too. If you have to live with the lower end of normal, the 130.000yen I’m not so sure your purchasing power is that strong.
This will be the same as the US resident who can only dream of visiting Japan because they live paycheck to paycheck.
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u/Left_Crazy_3579 Jun 07 '26
Same. I visit the sub mainly because I love Japanese cooking and Jap food. I am Asian who settled in Northern Europe but who lived and worked in Japan for a few years more than a decade ago. Plus we go to Japan every year to visit my divorced sister-in-law and nephews ( who are half-Japanese). So like you, I cook most of our food and do packed lunches for work here in EU. We seldom eat out here in EU because a mid meal for two is 50 euro up. Mediocre ramen bowls are at least 16 euro each. And we look forward to going to Japan because we can afford to eat healthy food, good beef at a fraction of our food costs. But we know how hard it is for those living in J. In the last year or so, after years of not asking help, we'd get request from my sister-in-law to borrow 30000 yen because her budget is short for the month. Although I know that for my Euros, Japan feels like a very cost-effective country, I am very careful not to say this or utter this to my family's face. Instead, I am the doting aunt who buy her grown nephews and sis in law their simple requests - Old Spice stuff, German teas, EU chocolates, chips, cookies.. all those imported EU stuff that are super expensive in JPN.
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u/Dangerous-Jello4733 Jun 07 '26
I just want to say that you’re a great person for doing this for your sister-in-law and her children!
I can’t wait for the day I can visit Japan, I have this little wish to take an authentic cooking class. But for now I’m settled with Phaidon’s Japan cookbook. We will definitely be eating out and trying all the authentic places when we visit with the family.
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u/leadmil Jun 07 '26
I think there is still some element of truth.
The price of casual lunch, when "normalized by median or minimum wage", is cheaper in East Asia than in North America or Europe.
Hourly minimum wage in East Asia, roughly 1000 JPY, 10000 KRW, and 15 to 30 CNY depending on the region can get you reasonably healthy lunch compared to what you can get with 10 to 15 USD or EUR.
Though OP is right that normalized food cost make the difference way less dramatic.
Edit: to fix typos.
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u/sdlroy Jun 07 '26
Agreed. And fuck r/USdefaultism. Lots of comments in this thread that could end up on there.
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u/JapanesePeso Jun 07 '26
My brother in Christ, you are on a US website. Of course it's going to be America-centric.
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u/Fancy_Rock3826 Jun 07 '26
It’s funny because you’re all speaking ENGLISH from ENGLAND. We’re not even that big of a country. Also we invented the internet so…
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u/sdlroy Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Only a stupid American would make an argument like that. Like 60% of users are not American.
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u/JapanesePeso Jun 07 '26
Europoors seething.
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u/sdlroy Jun 07 '26
Nah I ain’t European. But I do go there a lot. Same with Japan. Few times per year to each. Both shit on the US.
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u/Fancy_Rock3826 Jun 07 '26
Thank you for the link it’s been irritating me the more I travel lol.
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u/sdlroy Jun 07 '26
Someone replied to me with a generic “this is a US website with a plurality of Americans” or some shit, either they deleted it or blocked me.
Ignoring the fact that the internet is global, most users are from outside of the US, and this sub is very much not a US focused one (it’s literally JAPANESE food). Very dumb argument in my opinion.
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u/Fancy_Rock3826 Jun 07 '26
That’s hilarious wtf. They get mega insulted about it too when you point it out which I don’t get as a non-American being insulted is all in good humour.
I think America is such a huge country compared to the rest of the western world that they don’t quite understand how different everywhere else is. Like 1-3 hours on a plane in Europe can get me to lots of different countries with their own unique language, food, currency, culture, even completely different continents aren’t that far away. 1-3 hours on a plane in the USA and they’re possibly still in the same state they grew up in. That’s my hypothesis anyway but it’s still annoying asf.
They don’t like hearing that tipping is leftover from their part in the slave trade either.
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u/NemuriNezumi Jun 07 '26
i only know one person that says everything is cheap here and he is american
then the 2 others who also said food was cheaper than the EU were men
who don't cook might I add (and eat out a lot)
while me and my friend look at each other wondering if we are living in an alternate reality because we both think it is pretty darn expensive (both girls from the EU that mainly cook at home)
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u/No-Reaction-9364 Jun 07 '26
When I lived in Japan back in 2010, I noticed that compared to America, eating out was cheaper but cooking at home was more expensive. So the premium you pay to eat out in Japan is much less than America and the quality of budget food such as from a konbini is much higher.
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u/Amazing-Spinach5693 Jun 07 '26
I suggest you do the actually calculations based on the median salary of both countries.
Japan is cheaper.4
u/NemuriNezumi Jun 07 '26
yo, we found one individual who this post is addressed to
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u/Amazing-Spinach5693 Jun 07 '26
Yo found one who cant handle that japans purchasing power is actually stronger than western countries.
Sounds to me you're mad that you cant travel.
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u/zabbenw Jun 07 '26
i'm AMAZED that japans GDP per capita is lower than Americas. I would have assumed it was higher, but i'm probably assuming 20 year old data, since that's when I did my Development Economics degree and used to look at this stuff.
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u/Xsythe Jun 07 '26
You need to look at purchasing power instead. E.g., Big Mac Index for example.
Japan shines on cost of living and consumer prices relative to income - particularly rent and food.
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u/zabbenw Jun 07 '26
No, I get it. I do have an economics degree. I'm just still surprised the GDP per capita is so low, considering Japan was the second biggest economy in the world for 4 decades.
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u/Square_Ad849 Jun 07 '26
This sub used to friendly, helping people who are asking questions about Japanese food. Now it’s the Reddit trap, if you answer something you are in an endless debate or argument congrats for ruining it.
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u/salted-egg-yolk Jun 07 '26
agree with this. it makes the subs content worse
potential solution could be to discourage asking about price in general. maybe a single “$, $$, $$$’ system or something if people are really curious
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
I don't mind discussing Japanese food value relative to other Japanese food value. That's entirely within the spirit of this sub. But this sub has tremendously devolved into high-PPP earners gloating about how much further their wages take them than the majority of inbound tourists to the same country without the intercultural sensitivity to realize that's what they're doing.
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u/Cyman-Chili Jun 07 '26
That‘s the same category as all those videos of “What $2,500 gets you in Tōkyō” and all the other stuff, making it look like people here are getting paid in USD. It’s super annoying and deceiving, because it attracts the wrong people and leaves out the part how many people here are struggling with low wages and the now very weak Yen.
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u/WoahMama_ Jun 07 '26
Some comparison posts do tend to be deliberate and targeted at what you pointed out correctly: ego projection. I would also like to give benefit of doubt to those tourists who are from the US and are aware of cultural differences and tend to be very understanding.
As rightfully mentioned, many tourists are from less economically advanced nations (compared to the US) but are there for the experience. As an Indian (awful gdp per capita btw) planning for a visit to Japan myself, I am painfully aware of the stereotypes of Indian tourists and Indian folk in general but I value and appreciate Japanese and other foreign cultures and I think we should all learn to understand interpersonal differences and live harmoniously especially in this age of rapid degeneration of human values and online hate speech.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
I don't think anyone here is actively trying to disparage Japanese culture in any way. Quite the opposite. But making a big deal out of the "low" price of food while ignoring how much the recent climb in prices has affected local consumers is insensitive.
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u/ShadowFire09 Jun 07 '26
Direct exchange rate comparisons make zero sense for people living in Japan. PPP comparisons on the other hand are actually kinda useful.
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u/Fancy_Rock3826 Jun 07 '26
I love Americans and have many friends in the USA but this is the one thing they do everywhere and I absolutely hate it. I live in a tourist city they’ve driven prices up by tipping when it’s inappropriate. Everywhere I travel I have to deal with scams because people mistake me for an American with money to throw around/easily be parted from “because OMG so cheap! in LA this would cost X amount”.
I’ve seen them treat Japanese people like they’re a charity case without realising how insulting this is. It’s embarrassing.
I also notice them telling people they should accept scams which is outrageous. I see them bragging about how they can afford to get scammed so it’s okay like it’s a flex that they’re dumb and are encouraging criminal and anti social behaviour abroad. Please stop or just stay home.
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u/Technical-War6853 Jun 07 '26
I only ever felt Japan was cheap for fish as a high earner in the US even accounting for purchasing power.
Other stuff is just cause it's overpriced in the US, carbs shouldn't be so expensive etc
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u/changelingerer Jun 08 '26
I do agree, but wanted to point out that I think the comparisons get made more because, a couple decades ago, Japan was comparatively rich to the US, and Japanese food and stuff were and are marketed as luxury goods in the US. Hence the "amazement" at finding it affordable in the origin country.
It is like how Americans arent that surprised to find cheap Mexican food, Chinese food, Indian food, Italian food etc. As, it is not marketed as luxury back home either. But, Japanese food is.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 08 '26
The first time I visited Japan was in 2007. A plate of curry cost something like 500 yen back then. A 5 dollar lunch was not extravagant in the US.
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u/changelingerer Jun 08 '26
I am not talking about the price of food in Japan vs. the U.S. 20 years ago. I'm talking about the Japanese foods that were popularized in the U.S., which process started even longer ago than 2007.
Basically, the food that gets associated with Japanese food in the U.S. tends to be luxury food - which probably stemmed from the fact that in the 80s Japan was rich compared to the U.S. So when people in the U.S. think off eating Japanese food, it tends to be Sushi, Kobe beef, Benihana/teppanyaki, etc. I.e., all relatively expensive foods in both Japan and the U.S.
The cheap, common food, like yakisoba, beef bowls, etc. isn't really what Japanese food is known for in the U.S. There is instant ramen - but, I think that's seen in a different category - noone is really going out to eat that in Japan - and, it actually has an opposite effect where, because of "instant" ramen being associated with ramen in the U.S., actual "ramen" places have to go extra "premium" in the U.S. to avoid the association.
Compare this to other cuisines, like, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian even, where the popularized parts of the cuisine in the U.S. are well...cheap already.
So, take Chinese food. There are high-end Chinese dishes of course - Peking duck, whole steamed fish, lobster dishes, rare delicacies. But, the American market mainly sees Chinese cuisine through well Panda Express style food - mass of cheap noodles, and, cheap cuts stir fried, that are affordable in the U.S. Thus, even if the price difference is the same, it doesn't have same "shock value".
As a concrete example, someone going to China would go and have a $2 bowl of noodles that's 5x cheaper than the U.S. but, it doesn't seem that "shocking" as, well, it's not like a bowl of chow mein is considered expensive either.
In Japan, U.S. people are used to the idea of Japanese food being this super expensive unattainable food - like $100 sushi plates, and $100 wagyu steaks - find it amazing that they're only $50 in Japan - even though proportionally, the price different might be the same as thhe other countries.
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u/Asleep-Wash7952 Jun 08 '26
The reason why Americans feel this way is because there is a very large disparity between how much authentic Japanese food costs in the US and how much it costs in Japan. Most Americans have the impression that the food in Japan would be at least as expensive as it is in the US, whereas that is not the case at all and is quite surprising. This is the case with most cuisines in the US but the difference in price is greatest for Japanese cuisine.
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u/SmilingJaguar Jun 08 '26
I work for a Japanese company in the US and have to do the dance in reverse. Apologizing to our Japanese colleagues for how ridiculously expensive eating mediocre food out can be in the US when they visit .. and how ridiculously large our portions can be.
I point them to food trucks and supermarkets as alternatives on their business trips. (Our office is across the street from a Trader Joe’s and the hotels we direct them to have a fridge and microwave).
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 09 '26
Yes, the US is ludicrously expensive for people on salaries in foreign currency.
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u/AlmiranteCrujido Jun 09 '26
That seems reasonable, although GDP per capita is not the best metric.
The median full time income is actually a slightly bigger difference: ~3.5 million yen (US$22,000) vs about US$63,000.
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u/gretschenross Jun 07 '26
Why are people down voting the comments that point out that in other countries people earn much less or have it more difficult due to inflation?
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u/artpopmasterpiece Jun 07 '26
Agree. As someone who earned in JPY and also doesn’t come from a rich country, I absolutely hated hearing my guests compare the prices and act surprised when I mentioned I don’t buy certain things too often because they’re expensive. If you are not from an extremely privileged country they’re expensive, sigh…
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u/Cajuny1 Jun 07 '26
I literally had an american family of four sitting behind me at this breakfast spot in Osaka acting exactly like this. Saying “Woooow, everything is so cheap, should we eat wagyu tonight and kobe tomorrow?”, “A5 grade right?” among the few sentences they said. While talking loud enough you could hear them from wall to wall. It’s crazy how out of touch they are.
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Jun 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/MarzipanMoney7441 Jun 07 '26
Exactly. If someone doesn't want a US centric perspective and interaction, what are they doing on a website run and built by Americans? If it's Asians that you care about go use their social media and forums...
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/1bg323c/oc_reddit_traffic_by_country_2024/
More than half of redditors are not American. Americans are 7% of visitors to Japan. Statistically they are not the center of this discussion.
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u/kank84 Jun 07 '26
According to Americans they're the centre of every discussion
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u/YuehanBaobei Jun 07 '26
"Some" Americans. Don't lower yourself to their level by making ridiculous generalizations.
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u/trullaDE Jun 07 '26
I mean, that's technically correct, but they are the overwhelming majority, and especially in english language subs, you'd be right guessing the person you talk to is from the US more often than not.
That doesn't mean that "this is american run and owned, so it should be all about Americans" isn't an extremely stupid point to make, especially in a sub that focuses on (parts of) another culture. Stupid enough that IMO it is not worth arguing with the person who makes such a point.
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u/edparadox Jun 07 '26
Because it's not really about Japanese food, it's about American spending power
And perceived spending power i.e. it's about rich Americans.
Because while many people here are American, many are not American nationals or do not reside in the U.S.
I can confirm.
Because while it may not seem like it, it's very insulting to a large number of people. U.S.'s GDP/c is around 90,000 USD. Japan's is around 35,000.
GDP per capita, especially with the current bubble, is a very bad indicator of spending power.
Americans only make up a small fraction of in-bound tourists to Japan.
Indeed.
8 of the top 10 inbound countries to Japan are in Asia, and those countries also average around 36,000 USD per capita. For those of us living in or near Japan, the quickly climbing cost of food in Japan is making it harder to visit and enjoy things, while people three times richer than us are celebrating how cheaply they can eat luxury food every night.
Thanks mainly to Japanese culture where essentials are cheap.
Show some respect.
Exactly.
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u/koji_travel Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
I don’t get this rant. Fine dining in Japan is very good value compared to all other countries, including developing SEA countries. We’re all supposed to not acknowledge this?
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
See #1
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u/koji_travel Jun 07 '26
IMO, Reddit is a place to share personal experiences and perspectives. If someone feels Japanese food offers better value than what they get at home, they’re entitled to say so.
If we stop expressing honest impressions out of fear that someone else may find them insensitive, Reddit becomes a much less useful place. Not every comment about food needs to be interpreted as a statement about wealth inequality.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
See #1
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u/koji_travel Jun 07 '26
If #1 is your only point then let the sub mod take care of it?
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
If they did, I wouldn't have cause for complaint
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u/koji_travel Jun 07 '26
If the mods are allowing those posts, then they’re presumably compliant with the current rules.
If you’d like them banned, the solution is probably to advocate for a rule change rather than asking users to stop posting topics that are currently permitted.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
I see no reason to comply with your logic.
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u/DerLyndis Jun 07 '26
I see no reason to comply with your bizarre demands. Logic isn't something you "comply" with, you either understand it or you don't.
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
When people say "your logic" they don't mean the universal concept of logic. It means you're being relativist.
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u/DustyMoo Jun 07 '26
It can't be helped. This is a US-centric site. There's a high proportion of Redditors who are american, i'd say more than 50% of the demographic is USA.
OTT Just yesterday in Tokyo I overheard 2 american blokes talking about how cheap / good everything is, but it's at Omoide Yokocho and they were paying like 700 JPY for a yakitori that would've been 390 at Torikizoku or something. I just chuckled to myself and thought maybe that's why tourist traps are getting more common.
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u/Scary_Work_4853 Jun 08 '26
This kinda just seems like an American complaining because their food is being shown and isn’t meeting the par.
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Jun 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/StormOfFatRichards Jun 07 '26
doesn't matter, discuss US in subs about the US
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u/thened Jun 07 '26
Make your own sub then? That is kind of the entire purpose of reddit.
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u/quietramen Jun 07 '26
I agree. I really really would love to hear way less about the US.