All for just 500 yen!* Japan’s “Lunch Passport” lets you enjoy gourmet meals at pocket change prices

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

If you're traveling in Japan and want to save money while still enjoying delicious food, be sure to pick up a “Lunch Passport” (ランチパスポート). Just show this passport at participating stores listed inside, and meals that usually cost 700 yen or more can all be yours for just 500 yen (about NT$146)—a real treat for your taste buds!

First issued in Kochi Prefecture in 2011, this “Lunch Passport” is now available in over 40 cities across Japan. However, each passport is valid for one person only, cannot be shared, and has an expiration date.Taking Kyoto as an example, the second edition was released on June 1, priced at 994 yen (about NT$290). It features over 100 restaurants in Kyoto. Visitors just need to bring the passport to the listed stores to enjoy a special price of 500 yen on designated meals. Each restaurant can be used up to three times, which is a great deal.

To make it convenient for travelers, the “Lunch Passport” also includes a schedule of available time slots for each restaurant. Meals must be purchased at full price outside the specified hours. However, because the discounts are so attractive, some deals may sell out. In addition to Kyoto,other cities such as Fukuoka, Sapporo, Tokyo (Shinbashi & Toranomon), Saitama, Matsuyama, Utsunomiya, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Sendai, Nara, Hyogo, and Kochi also offer their own local “Lunch Passports.”Travelers visiting Japan can purchase these passports at bookstores or convenience stores.