South Korea has long been a magnet for travelers drawn by its dynamic culture, food and ke-pap phenomena. However, a new and unexpected tendency is emerging, Japanese tourists are flying to buy rice in bulk. The Region? A significant value of rice in Japan, a daily food item in every house, reports Korea Times,
According to reports, 10 kg of rice in Japan costs around 8,000 yen (Rs 4,700), while about 3,000 yen (Rs 1,700) is available in Korea for about one third. According to retail officials, this price difference has increased in the Japanese shopkeepers in Seoul Supermarkets.
A Japanese tourist attracted attention to this trend after sharing his story on the social media platform X (East Twitter).
This growing trend was exposed by a Japanese tourist in a viral post on X (East Twitter), which recently bought 4 kg of white rice and 5 kg of brown rice to take home after a lowover in Seoul.
Tourists go through a quarantine process to buy rice
“My mission in Seoul was to buy rice, as prices in Japan have become very high,” he wrote, seeing that carrying the bag felt like a complete workout.
Because Rice is a regulated agricultural product, he had to undergo a quarantine process at Incheon International Airport. After submitting the required documents and confirming its Japanese address, he received a plant export certificate in about 30 minutes.
Why is rice getting expensive in Japan
The price of Japan’s rice increased in summer of 2023, as due to affecting crops in excessive weather, increasing demand of tourists and recent earthquakes after recent earthquakes. Despite the efforts to stabilize the supply by releasing rice from the stores by the Japanese government, there is a shortage, especially in urban centers.
In response to the rising demand, South Korea is preparing to export 22 tons of rice to Japan, marking the largest shipment since 1990.
