Has Odaiba seceded from Japan and created its own economy? You might think so if you looked at the price tags on the run-of-the-mill fare at this year’s United States of Odaiba, Fuji Television’s annual summer event.

 

In a country where 800 yen is considered pricey for a beef bowl, standard dishes like katsudon and butadon are going for 1390 yen a pop. A thread on 2channel broke the news on the menu, and there was no shortage of incredulous, mocking and sarcastic responses. Among them:

 

“Only people who have been living under a rock would pay these prices.”

 

“I could stand outside and sell 298-yen Seiyu bento boxes for 600 yen!”

 

“I’m sure people are going to come pouring in from prefectures far and wide.”

 

“You’d order 1390-yen katsudon if your girlfriend said she wanted it.”

 

“Prices in that country are way off!”

 

“You have to go through Shimbashi to get out to Odaiba.  Might as well eat in Shimbashi.”

 

“They’ve got the high prices, but where’s the luxury?”

 

“Usually, you have to go to a remote island or to the top of a mountain to find prices like that. Nice to know I only have to go as far as Odaiba.”

 

A call to the organizers of the United States of Odaiba event revealed that Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV Café regularly features meals at such prices. Evidently, the value of these dishes lies in the idea that well-known newscasters crafted them.

 

There are other places to eat in the United States of Odaiba, and it appears that you can eat at those places without leaving the proverbial arm and leg behind. Some Internet posters supposed that the jacked-up prices were justified because of the event going on around the restaurants, but the 1500-yen entry fee quashes that theory.

 

Others felt for families on tight budgets who might make it all the way out to Odaiba only to find that they couldn’t afford to eat. While the United States of Odaiba does not prohibit people from bringing outside food into the event, you have to wonder how long a sack lunch will last in this boiling hot weather.