Japan's izakaya restaurant brand, Bampaiya/ Image: A screenshot of Bampaiya website (active-source.co.jp)

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By AsiaToday reporter Kim Ye-jin - As consumers tighten purse strings again, restaurants are cutting prices.

While the Japanese government is making efforts escape from deflation and boost growth under the Abenomics policy, consumer spending remains weak and cheap restaurants are popular, reported Nihon Keizai Shimbun (better known as Nikkei) on Sunday.

Sitamachinosora, a Japanese ramen and dumpling brand that operates 7 stores in Gifu and Aichi, has added a cheap offering that has become a hit among frugal consumers. Its new menu item offers 6 dumplings at a shocking price of 99 yen (approx. 1,000 won).

An official from Sitamachinosora said, "Its rate of cost to sales accounts to about 88%. Dumplings aren't that profitable." In fact, the company reduces costs by making not advertisement at all.

Kyoto Isaburoseipan, a baking company that runs 21 stores throughout Kinki area and Kyushu, has opened a new store a month after it began selling over 130 types of bread at 100 yen (approx. 1,100 won). The company cuts costs by sending frozen pastes from headquarters to local stores for baking.

In Fukuoka, '18 Ramen', a ramen store that sells cheap ramens at 250 yen (approx. 2,700 won), is attracting attention. '18 Ramen' is a sister brand of Ilgu Ramen. The 250-yen ramen has the same broth to the 450-yen (approx. 4,900 won) ramen that is sold in Ilgu Ramen. The major difference is the amount of noodle. The 250-yen ramen has 5% less noodle than the 450-yen ramen. Besides, the store is operated by young part-timers to reduce operating costs.

Bampaiya, an izakaya restaurant brand that operates 16 stores in Tokyo, provides cheap offerings at around 100 yen. It purchases food of fine quality cheaply from Tokyo Tsukiji market, a wholesale market for marine products, and provides different side dishes to customers at low price.