Charging foreigners more for services

I've noticed that some small businesses, eg: restaurants and hairdressers, charge a higher price for foreigners. On my hairdresser's website the Japanese page lists one price and the English page quotes a higher price (2,ooo yen more for some services). I wanted to ask my hairdresser why I was being charged more but felt awkward doing so. How common is it for businesses in Japan to do this, and are they allowed to do it or is it considered discriminatory? Thanks!

I have never encountered it in 10+ years living here. But I have been charged less as a foreigners on many occasions, especially tourism-related (admission and transportation). In your case, I think it could be due to an out-of-date English version website.

If they really make a distinction (yes, my thought is the same as Uji's, that it might be an outdated website), can it be that they need to secure a hairdresser who speaks English?

Jinx77, how did you happen to "notice" that some restaurants charge more for foreigners?

I'm really curious as to how exactly that would work. Do you order off the Japanese-language menu and then you find a "foreigner surcharge" tacked onto your bill?

Are the prices different from what you expected, and you assume that people are ripping you off because you're a foreigner?

Once I looked at a Japanese menu before the waitress gave us an English menu and the English menu prices were higher. It was in a touristy area. You are probably right that the hairdresser's Japanese price list just needs updating. She is the only hairdresser there (she runs it from her home) so I don't think it's a matter of hiring a staff member who can speak English.

Why didn't you just ask for the Japanese menu back?

How common is it for businesses in Japan to do this, and are they allowed to do it or is it considered discriminatory?

I don't think it is not common at all. The few times I've encountered differences between the Japanese and English menu prices was because the English menus already had taxes figured in while the Japanese menu's didn't.

Once I looked at a Japanese menu before the waitress gave us an English menu and the English menu prices were higher. It was in a touristy area.

See above for a possible reason.

On my hairdresser's website the Japanese page lists one price and the English page quotes a higher price (2,ooo yen more for some services). I wanted to ask my hairdresser why I was being charged more but felt awkward doing so.

That is a pretty significant price difference. You should definitely inquire about that.

I had a similar experience in Hiroshima. When dinning at a popular restaurant for okonomiyaki. I think the place was called daiso, yess I know that's the name of a retail store. I can't. Remember the name but it was close to. The peace memorial, on the second floor.

U. Was told they have. A lunch special that was around 500yen. But when we went we were given the engglish menui and there was no lunch special on there. We did notice some ppl were served okonomiyaki on a grilled plate (which I wanted) but ours were served on a regular plate.

Why don't you just order the lunch special if that's what you want? Sometimes restaurants don't have a fully translated menu. Always keep the japanese version too.

I would have ordered the lunch special if I knew about it. We ate at the place and met a couple in Miyajima that I asked where was a good place for okinomiyaki. They recommended the place I went to. That's where I learned there was a lunch special.

When I asked for the english menu, there were no lunch specials or I would have ordered it.

in many restaurants, lunch menus are not a fixed dish, it may be changed everyday.
therefore, sometimes they do not write their lunch dishes in their menus even written in Japanese.