"Restaurant Owner Notorious for Overcharging Korean Tourists Arrested Immediately Upon Sitting Down"

The owner of a restaurant in Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, along with about 10 members of a tout group, were arrested by the police for impersonating an affiliated store of a famous restaurant and luring foreign tourists, including those from Korea, before overcharging them. Among foreign tourists visiting Tokyo, this place was notorious for charging more than twice the normal price for food.

On the 29th, Mainichi Shimbun exclusively reported that a man in his 50s, who pretended to be affiliated with the famous chicken skewer chain "Torikizoku," along with about 10 touts who lured tourists into his own restaurant, were arrested by the police.

Storefront posing as a branch of the famous chain 'Torikizoku'. [Image source=Google Reviews]

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The group repeatedly shouted "Torikizoku" on the street in front of the Torikizoku Kabukicho branch, pretending to be employees of that restaurant. When tourists mistakenly approached them thinking they were Torikizoku staff, they pretended to call the restaurant to check for available seats. Then, claiming the restaurant was full, they guided the tourists to another store called "Toridori," which they said was affiliated. Although it was a completely different place with no connection to Torikizoku, they made it easy to believe it was an affiliated store by borrowing Torikizoku’s yellow signboard with red letters for the store name.

A view of Kabukicho Street in Japan. [Image source=Google Reviews]

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Once customers sat down, the group overcharged them for every possible reason. Upon sitting, each person was charged a seating fee of 1,000 yen (about 9,000 won), and after serving a small dish of bean sprouts or cabbage salad, they demanded another 1,000 yen as a basic appetizer fee. Additionally, they charged a weekend fee and a year-end fee of 1,000 yen at the end of December. This meant that immediately upon sitting, an extra 4,000 yen per person was added on top of the food cost. Some tables were even charged a separate service fee.

Mainichi reported, "The arrested group did not explain that fees would be charged upon entering the restaurant and used the pretext of seating fees and weekend charges to overcharge customers. Several complaints had already been filed with the Shinjuku Police Station." The police ultimately arrested them for obstructing the business of Torikizoku.

The bill from the store that charged for anju price, weekend fee, year-end and New Year fee, and seat fee. [Image source=Google Reviews]

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In fact, this restaurant was already widely known among Korean tourists as a malicious establishment, with many warning reviews on Google. Searching for the restaurant on Google shows a rating of 1.1 stars with descriptions warning, "This is a place that overcharges, so do not go." Korean reviews on Google urged others not to visit, saying things like, "Even when I used a translator to confront them about the scam, the staff pretended not to understand and only said strange things," and "When I tried to argue with the touts, other Japanese people told me not to because it was dangerous."

The group even overcharged Japanese customers. One Japanese person said, "I was told I had to wait 40 minutes to get into Torikizoku and was guided here instead," and raised their voice, "I never imagined that two people would be ripped off for 17,000 yen in just 5 minutes." Another Japanese person added, "When I reported it to the police, they said the sales contract was established and refunds were impossible. I also heard that this restaurant frequently receives overcharging complaints."

Review of a Korean tourist who visited the store of the arrested group. [Image source=Google Reviews]

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The police are investigating the restaurant’s operations, considering the possibility that organized crime groups such as the Yakuza may be involved behind the scenes.

Torikizoku itself had been aware of touts impersonating affiliated stores for some time. Tadashi Ookura, president of Torikizoku Holdings, warned on his social media in 2021, "Everyone should be careful. We do not engage in any touting activities," urging caution.

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