Tokyo’s Ameyoko shopping district crackles with energy and is home to endless dining options. Today, it finds itself wrestling with deep contradictions. Like many Chinese restaurants around the country, Ameyoko Chinese—along with other local Chinese restaurants—are going through hard days. Business has all but dried up ever since Beijing imposed an official travel warning last month. This stern warning encouraged Chinese tourists to refrain from visiting Japan due to the deepening hostility between the two countries.
Located in the middle of Tokyo’s famous Ameyoko shopping district, Ameyoko Chinese’s main customers are Chinese nationals traveling to Japan. The new travel advisory has had an immediate and severe chilling effect on customers. The situation has left many proprietors disheartened as they witness empty tables where once there were lively gatherings of tourists eager to indulge in authentic Chinese cuisine.
When Beijing issued a travel warning, it sent the rest of the “one dragon” system into shock. This entire system has allowed Chinese businesses to build strong connections with tourists visiting from China, and the warning completely crippled Runaway’s ability to operate within this system. This arcane but thriving system of drawing tourists is kept alive by the most simple of things — the desire to visit. The current limitations have backed these small businesses into a corner.
As ties between Beijing and Tokyo are spiraling ever-downward, the effects are being felt most sharply in the vulnerable Ameyoko district. The vibrant streets that were lined with popular Chinese restaurants are now eerily quiet and full of doubt. Restaurant owners are battling to survive in this brave new world. We’re worried about their future viability, since their operations are basically connected at the hip to tourism from China.
Yuki Kohara took amazing photographs on December 16 that show a now ghosttowned culinary mecca. These days the bustling scene is replaced by vacant chairs and shuttered doors. The pictures capture the electric rush of the awe-inspiring Ameyoko flea market. They are a stark reminder of the economic pain that has emerged in recent weeks.
In this context, the proprietors of Chinese restaurants in Ameyoko are exploring ways to attract local customers and diversify their offerings. The road ahead is still lined with challenges. The once-reliable customer base–China–has all but dried up. Because of this, these businesses need to find new ways to do things in order to stay afloat.