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Tourists Kicked Out Of Japanese Restaurant Over “Revealing” Sports Attire, Sparking Heated Debate
Two tourists wearing revealing sports attire standing outside a Japanese restaurant at night, sparking debate.

Tourists Kicked Out Of Japanese Restaurant Over “Revealing” Sports Attire, Sparking Heated Debate

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A group of tourists experienced the bitter taste of discrimination while dining at a popular restaurant in Japan.

The Chinese tourists were verbally assaulted and kicked out of the establishment over their clothing, which the owner deemed “too revealing.”

On social media, many speculated that the owner may have had other unspoken motives for turning them away.

Highlights
  • Two Chinese tourists were kicked out of a restaurant for wearing sport vests and trousers deemed "too revealing" by the owner.
  • The manager snatched their chopsticks and removed their food mid-meal, one of the tourists claimed.
  • Numerous Google reviews accuse the restaurant owner of discriminating, particularly against Chinese customers.
RELATED:

    Two Chinese tourists were kicked out of a restaurant in Japan over their “revealing” outfits

    Woman wearing revealing sports attire in an industrial setting, relating to tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant debate.

    Image credits: Alex Shaw/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

    One of the tourists, a blogger, said the unpleasant incident took place in August at the popular Thai restaurant Baan Thai Market in Kobe, Japan.

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    She said she visited the restaurant with a friend, but the owner greeted them disrespectfully at the door.

    The owner reportedly told them, “Summer is over. You don’t need to come out n*ked any more.”

    Exterior of a Japanese restaurant where tourists were kicked out over revealing sports attire, sparking heated debate.

    Image credits: Google Maps

    The blogger explained that their outfits were not revealing and consisted of sport vests paired with trousers.

    Despite the rude comment, the tourists decided to go ahead with their plan and dine at the restaurant.

    However, their experience took another unpleasant turn when the restaurant manager interrupted their meal, snatched their chopsticks, and took away their food from the table.

    The tourists’ outfits consisted of sport vests and trousers

    Two tourists in revealing sports attire posing outside a Japanese restaurant at night, sparking heated debate.

    Image credits: sohu.com

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    Comment from Sean Goh questioning tourists’ preparation before visiting countries amid debate on sports attire in Japanese restaurant.

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    The blogger claimed that the manager abruptly cleared their plates without even asking whether they had finished eating.

    The mistreatment reportedly continued when it was time to pay.

    “When I went to pay the bill, I asked the manager how much it was. He completely ignored me, just glanced at the computer screen as if to say we should check it ourselves,” the woman wrote.

    The restaurant manager escalated the incident by removing their food, one of the tourists claimed

    Man in apron waving near colorful tuk-tuk on street, related to tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant debate.

    Image credits: 163.com

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    Facebook comment accusing racism over tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant due to revealing sports attire, sparking debate.

    She later checked the restaurant’s Google reviews and discovered that her experience wasn’t an isolated incident; instead, a number of customers had complained about “discrimination” from the manager.

    “The number of negative reviews is staggering,” she shared.

    The reviews focused on the owner’s alleged malicious behavior and even included accusations of discrimination toward Chinese customers.

    Entrance of a Japanese restaurant featuring a traditional wooden statue, sparking debate over tourists' revealing sports attire.

    Image credits: semanticvision/TripAdvisor

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    Comment by Edward ML Wong emphasizing respect for cultural norms when visiting other countries in a heated debate over tourists' sports attire.

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    One reviewer claimed they were kicked out of the restaurant for wearing perfume, as per the South China Morning Post.

    Another claimed that the manager seemed “extremely enthusiastic” when they dined at the restaurant with Japanese friends, but his attitude changed drastically when he heard them speaking Chinese.

    A third reviewer said they felt “discriminated against” after being told the restaurant was full and that they would have to wait 90 minutes for a table, despite seeing empty seats. They also claimed that staff “refused” to show them a menu.

    Reviewers alleged that the manager showed favoritism toward Japanese customers while treating Chinese customers rudely

    Person wearing colorful sports attire sitting in a tuk-tuk outside a Japanese restaurant, linked to tourists kicked out debate.

    Image credits: baanthai.restaurant

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    Comment by Johnny Cosme stating They aren't the only ones in a Facebook style post related to tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire.

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    Someone else wrote that the owner seems to be rude to foreigners and only “speaks politely with the Japanese,” adding, “The last time I went there, I decided to not go there again as he rudely asked us to go back as the restaurant was full.”

    A separate reviewer gave the restaurant one out of five stars, writing that the manager “should take anger management lessons ASAP.”

    User review complaining about being banned from a Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire debate.

    Image credits: TripAdvisor

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    Review screenshot showing complaint about rude service and being kicked out of a Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire.

    Image credits: TripAdvisor

    Japanese citizens stood in solidarity with the tourists, taking to social media to condemn the manager’s alleged discriminatory behavior.

    “It wasn’t about the clothes at all. He changed his attitude the moment he realised they were Chinese,” one person wrote.

    “That manager is genuinely rude. His reputation has been bad for a long time,” another commented.

    “Discrimination only hurts the country’s image. He doesn’t understand that his business depends on tourists,” a third noted.

    Japanese citizens expressed support for the tourists on social media, condemning the manager’s behavior

    Man in yellow shirt talking on phone inside a Japanese restaurant amid tourists kicked out over revealing sports attire debate

    Image credits: baanthai.restaurant/mc2_info

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    Tripadvisor review from Kobe about tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire and bad service.

    Image credits: TripAdvisor

    A Chinese user said the blogger should have “walked out” as soon as she heard the comment about her outfit, writing, “Why tolerate humiliation when you’re the one paying for the meal?”

    This year, Japan overtook Thailand as the most popular overseas travel destination for Chinese tourists, driven by factors such as relaxed visa policies, a weak yen (Japan’s national currency), and a growing interest in food tourism, the SCMP reported.

    Tourist wearing casual sports attire walking in a busy Japanese street amid a heated restaurant dress code debate.

    Image credits: Jack T/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

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    A report by the Pew Research Center found that China and Japan harbor mostly negative stereotypes of one another, disagree on Japan’s WW2 legacy, and worry about future confrontations.

    Only 11% of the Japanese express a favorable opinion of China, while 14% of the Chinese say they have a positive view of Japan. In Japan, roughly eight in ten citizens describe the Chinese as arrogant, while seven in ten Chinese see the Japanese in that light.

    The report also noted that Japanese animosity toward China varies somewhat by generation, with those aged 50 and older holding particularly unfavorable views toward China compared with younger Japanese.

    Bored Panda has contacted Baan Thai restaurant for comment.

    The incident sparked mixed reactions, with some defending the owner and others supporting the women

    Comment from Dalal Bella expressing views on the controversy over revealing sports attire in Japanese restaurants.

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    Screenshot of a social media comment discussing Japan amid tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire.

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    Commenter Liau Chungshiu discusses unwritten rules in Japan amid debate over tourists kicked out for revealing sports attire.

    Comment discussing respect for attire rules at a Japanese restaurant after tourists were kicked out for revealing sports clothing.

    Comment from Frank Young discussing Japanese weather being like summer for two Harbin girls on social media post.

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    Comment on social media discussing tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire, sparking debate.

    Screenshot of a social media comment criticizing rules on clothing choice, linked to tourists kicked out over sports attire debate.

    Comment by Chris Law stating some tourists are not genuinely welcomed in parts of Japan, relating to revealing sports attire debate.

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    Comment criticizing tourists' revealing sports attire leading to their removal from a Japanese restaurant sparking debate.

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    Comment on social media post by Agapito Bayagbag questioning tourists' sports attire in a debate over Japanese restaurant rules.

    Comment by Juan Benn criticizing tourism in an unwelcoming country, relating to tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant debate.

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    Facebook comment by Dylan Robert stating Let's just call this by its proper name which is racism, related to tourists kicked out of Japanese restaurant over sports attire debate.

    Screenshot of a social media comment discussing tourists kicked out of a Japanese restaurant over revealing sports attire.

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    Poll Question

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    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Read more »

    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

    Read less »
    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

    What do you think ?
    KatSaidWhat
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Do people not read the reviews BEFORE going to the restaurant?

    arthbach
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Interesting that it's the Japanese customers who are calling out the racist attitudes of the manager, and those with more western sounding names commenting on their attire. I'm going to suggest the people from Japan have a better understanding of what's happening.

    SheamusFanFrom1987
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Admittedly, this feels like discrimination by the manager of the restaurant, but there are cases where the tourists themselves have failed to behave (not here, first and foremost). Having been there before, I can personally vouch for most of the Japanese community though they did seem curious about me (my partial British genes giving me a bit more facial and body hair than your average Malaysian-Chinese) but overall they seemed respectful enough. I think it's about give and take, though here it seems pretty clear cut -_-"

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    KatSaidWhat
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Do people not read the reviews BEFORE going to the restaurant?

    arthbach
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Interesting that it's the Japanese customers who are calling out the racist attitudes of the manager, and those with more western sounding names commenting on their attire. I'm going to suggest the people from Japan have a better understanding of what's happening.

    SheamusFanFrom1987
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Admittedly, this feels like discrimination by the manager of the restaurant, but there are cases where the tourists themselves have failed to behave (not here, first and foremost). Having been there before, I can personally vouch for most of the Japanese community though they did seem curious about me (my partial British genes giving me a bit more facial and body hair than your average Malaysian-Chinese) but overall they seemed respectful enough. I think it's about give and take, though here it seems pretty clear cut -_-"

    Load More Comments
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