Fuji Soba, a restaurant chain primarily located in the Kanto region, sparked an online debate recently when one of its eateries put up a sign urging tourists to refrain from visiting during lunchtime. The sign, written in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean, appeared at the company’s store in Kamiyacho. It said, “Tourists, please refrain from visiting during lunchtime. Our restaurant prioritizes people working and studying in the area.” An X user posted a picture of the sign on November 20. In the past week, it has garnered more than 2.6 million views.

Many Netizens Agree With Soba Restaurants Sign

The majority of people on X felt the sign was justified. “I think it’s a good idea,” wrote one X user. “That way, the turnover rate would increase, and since travelers have time on their hands, there are plenty of options to choose from.” Another posted, “For Japanese people, when they go to Fuji Soba, they eat quickly and leave quickly. Tourists, on the other hand, probably take it easy. It’s a shop where turnover is everything, so it’s fine during quiet times, but during the lunch rush, it must be really tough. The sign is, therefore, correct.”

Some, however, could understand why the shop put the sign up, but felt the language used was problematic. “I think positive expressions are more easily accepted internationally than negative ones,” wrote one person on Yahoo.co.jp. “For instance, would it have been better to say something like ‘A lot of people visit during lunchtime and the restaurant strives to serve food quickly, so we ask that customers also order and eat quickly, and leave promptly after finishing. However, for those who want to enjoy their meal at their own pace, there are usually more seats available between ︎this and that time.'”

Daitan Asks for the Sign To Be Removed 

Daitan, the company that runs Fuji Soba, ordered the Kamiyacho store to remove the sign, which it did last Friday. “We thought this was rude to our customers, so we ordered them to take it down,” a representative of the company told J-Cast News. “This was the result of our own lack of supervision. Some customers bring suitcases and other items, but we don’t think that’s a bad thing. I understand there are various opinions, but we believe that it was our fault.”

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Updated On November 26, 2025