1万3000円“高級ビュッフェ”に殺到　歴史的円安で外国人は歓喜…一方、“格安弁当店”は円安直撃で赤字ギリギリ（2026年07月07日）

(Broadcast on July 6, 2026) Lunchtime on the 6th. The historically weak yen presented a stark contrast in fortunes. Foreign tourists enjoying a high-end buffet in Ginza, Tokyo, exclaimed, "Japanese food is really cheap!" Meanwhile, a local bento shop selling "bargain bento" boxes with unlimited side dishes commented, "It feels like we're operating at a loss." First, the reporting team headed to what is said to be one of Japan's largest lunch buffets, located in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. Approximately 80% of the customers at "Kaisen Buffet Dining Ginza Happo" are foreigners. The buffet, featuring over 150 kinds of high-end dishes ranging from seafood, including king crab directly shipped from Hokkaido and sashimi served in boat-shaped platters, to yakiniku (grilled meat), costs 13,000 yen. At this price, foreign tourists exclaimed, "It's incredibly good value! We don't have king crab in Samoa, so this is fantastic!" and "This all-you-can-eat is a great deal! Unbelievable!" The phrase "Japan is cheap" was frequently heard. The yen exchange rate on the 6th briefly reached around 162 yen to the dollar. This record-breaking weak yen made Japan an affordable travel destination for foreign tourists. A group from the United States said they planned to spend 1.6 million yen on a six-day trip to Tokyo. Furthermore, an Australian family who spent two weeks visiting Kyoto, Nara, and Nagano spent a staggering 3 million yen. Kyohei Ono, the deputy manager of Ginza Happo, said, "(The seafood buffet) is 13,000 yen. It's a bit pricey for Japanese people, but it's relatively cheap for foreigners, so they choose it. I don't know if it's due to the weak yen, but it seems like there are more people from various countries than last year." While foreign tourists rejoice at Japan's low prices, a shopping street in Tokyo's Koto Ward is being hit hard by the weak yen, particularly at a bento shop known for its affordable food. At "Aji no Shigotoya Yubasei with Akono Ariga Tofu Oshima Store," the buffet-style bento is popular. Customers can choose from three different container sizes and fill theirs with as much of the 60 different side dishes as they like. Customers commented, "The cost performance is incredible. I can't believe it's this cheap. I definitely want to come back again," and "Even though prices are high, they've kept the prices the same, which is easy on the wallet. It's a real lifesaver." A regular customer, who comes to the store every day, skillfully piled on fried chicken, omelets, and other items. Their original bento was quickly completed. A small size costs 480 yen. Then, for some reason, they picked up a second container and started filling it with more side dishes. A man who bought two meals, one for lunch and one for dinner, said he eats this shop's bento boxes almost every day. The man commented, "With prices so high, I'm grateful that they're keeping the prices the same." The most popular item in the buffet bento is the juicy and tender fried chicken. However, the weak yen and other factors have caused the cost of chicken to skyrocket. Despite this, the shop hasn't raised the price of the buffet bento because they want customers to be able to eat affordable bento boxes every day. However, as a last resort, they've implemented a limit of four pieces of fried chicken per customer. Furthermore, the rising price of eggs is exacerbating the situation, and the shop is barely managing to stay in business. Akiko Sugaya, manager of Aji no Shigotoya Yubasei: "We put so much effort into making these dishes, so even though we're barely making ends meet, we're working hard to keep the shop going as long as possible, always thinking about what will make our customers happy. I really feel everyone's support."