Verified in Japan

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Practical Travel · 發布 2026-09-29 · 更新 2026-09-29

事實最後確認 2026-09-29 · 下次檢視 2027-09-01

Restaurant reservations in Japan: why some places ask for a card, and what a no-show costs

A 2018 report for Japan's economy ministry estimated restaurant no-shows cost about 200 billion yen a year. It explains when cancellation fees can be charged, and what restaurants and diners are asked to do. Here is a plain-English summary.

A set restaurant table with bentwood chairs
Photo: Szymon Shields / Pexels

Some restaurants in Japan ask for a credit card when you book, charge a cancellation fee, or only take reservations through certain channels. It can feel like visitors are being singled out. The background is a problem Japanese restaurants have with no-shows in general, and a report prepared for Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) explains it.

What the report is

"No show (restaurant cancellations without notice) countermeasures report" was published on November 1, 2018 by a study group of experts on adding value to service industries. We read a copy published by a regional restaurant association (the METI page itself did not open for our checking tool).

A tatami dining room with low tables and floor cushions
Photo: Bor Jinson / Pexels

What it found

  • It estimates the damage from no-shows at about 200 billion yen a year.
  • Looking at reservations, it gives these shares: no-show 0.9%, cancellation on the day 3.9%, the day before 1.1%, two days before 0.6%, and three or more days before 2.8%.
  • It defines a no-show as not coming at the booked time without contacting the restaurant, or ignoring the restaurant's contact.

When a fee can be charged

The report explains the thinking behind cancellation fees:

  • Course bookings: because the lost sale is hard to fill with other guests, the damage can be the full amount, and a full cancellation fee can be charged under the restaurant's cancellation policy, minus costs that can be reused (such as food and staff that can be redirected), in line with consumer contract law.
  • Seat-only bookings: the damage is harder to calculate. The report suggests a share of the average spend per guest as one guide, and says restaurants should explain the average spend and how the fee is calculated in advance.

It also encourages restaurants to reconfirm bookings, state their cancellation policy and fees, and consider taking card details or a deposit in advance. That is why you may be asked for a card when booking online.

What it asks of diners

  • If you cannot go, contact the restaurant as soon as you know, by any means. Even a late cancellation lets the restaurant reuse food and give the table to someone else.
  • If you are charged a cancellation fee that seems excessive, consult a consumer affairs center.

What this means for you

  • Book only what you will use. Do not hold several restaurants for the same evening.
  • Read the cancellation policy when you book, especially for set courses.
  • Cancel through the same channel you booked, as early as you can.
  • Some places do not take reservations on busy days at all. A wanko-soba restaurant on this site, for example, takes reservations mainly on weekdays and is walk-in only on weekends, holidays and in the summer holidays.

Sources