Japan is leading the way in cryptocurrency adoption, and crypto restaurants are part of this revolution. Dining out and paying with Bitcoin is now a daily trend.
In Japan, there are thousands of crypto restaurants where you can sample local and international cuisine. It's an admirable country. With an exotic and striking culture, it currently stands, according to figures from the World Bank as one of the 10 best economies on the planet measured by GDP. In 2025 it will rank fourth.
In the field of cryptocurrencies, he stands out as a benchmark in the sector and in blockchain technology. In fact, the country is a leader and pioneer in aspects such as regulation, adoption in various sectors of the economy, and mass acceptance and legalization of various digital assets.
Japanese authorities were the first to realize that digital assets needed a regulatory framework for trading. Within its territory, various cryptocurrencies are now used daily. This decision was made in response to the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies by its inhabitants and to prevent potential fraud and cyberattacks. Today, Japan is positioned as one of the key players in the digital currency crypto ecosystem.
Japan: protagonist of the crypto ecosystem
Crypto statistics portal CoinGecko released a report on what the Asian nation represents in the world of cryptocurrencies. This document shows that approximately 12% of total global operations cryptocurrency trading occurs in Japan and a community of around 4 million people actively trades Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRT) and Solana (SOL) as their main currencies.
In this sense, we are talking about more $3.910 billion in total trading volume in 2024. This represents 45,7% more than at the end of 2023. As we said, BTC, ETH, XRT and SOL lead the market, followed by DogeCoin (DOGE), Astar (ASTR), BitcoinCash (BCC/BCH), Oasys (OAS), Litecoin (LTC) and Avalanche (AVAX).
Eating out is an increasingly common habit.
Given the enormous number of transactions by global transaction volume in 2024, it is expected that 2025 will continue the upward trend. This is how Binance points out on its portal that for this year 80% of Japanese banks are expected to join the mass acceptance as part of their regular financial products.
In this context, it's impossible not to mention crypto restaurants in Japan. Due to the pace of life and the small living spaces, About 83% of Japanese eat out at least two of their three main meals. that they usually do.
This figure is the one handled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, an organization that also reported that 35,5% eat out "due to time and location issues," 31,1% do so because "they don't have anyone to eat with" and therefore, it's cheaper and more convenient than cooking; and 27,3% stated that "it's more convenient" to eat out at restaurants.
Convenient payments in crypto and preferred platforms
Obviously, with this trend of eat away from home, the Japanese have sought alternatives to pay for their meals conveniently, using the new technologies available, and cryptocurrencies stand out as the perfect alternative.
Nearly 4 million Japanese use the Bitget, Binance, Gemini, and Coinbase exchanges. to pay for their regular purchases, including their daily meals. These three platforms are preferred for offering easy-to-use interfaces, seamless 24/7 transactions, a huge amount of assets, and constant liquidity.
Likewise, They lead the Japanese market due to their varied resources in this language, such as social trading, multi-signature wallets that offer greater security, educational tools available in Japanese for beginners, and low fees that balance the nation's legal regulations.
How do crypto restaurants work in Japan?
In Japan people usually eat three meals a day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In all of them, rice occupies a prominent place, just as bread does in Europe or corn in America. In addition, a wide variety of vegetables, seaweed, and miso are added. Here are some dishes:
- Asa-gohan: This is the first meal and It is consumed between 7 and 9 in the morning. Indeed, asa-gohan means “in the morning” and includes steamed rice, miso soup, Yakizakan or grilled fish, hard-boiled or fried eggs, pickled or brined vegetables, tamagoyaki which is a kind of stuffed and rolled egg omelet, natto which are pieces of fermented soybeans and umeboshi or pickled plums or other berries.
- Hiru-gohan: is “midday meal” Which, in some cases and for work reasons, can take place between 11:30 a.m. and 2.30:XNUMX p.m. This heavy meal is eaten outside the home in restaurants and, more recently, in crypto restaurants due to the ease and speed of payments.
- Ban-gohan: This is dinner or lunch “when the sun sets.” Depending on daily life, it occurs between 7 and 10 p.m. Dinner is usually between 6 and 8 p.m. Dinner is also eaten outside the home or before arriving home.
But, if we are going to talk about how crypto restaurants work in Japan, they are usually done through mobile applications or payment platforms Specific payment methods that facilitate fast and secure transactions. Customers scan a QR code provided by the restaurant, enter the payment amount in the selected cryptocurrency, and confirm the transaction. This process is similar to other digital payments and offers an alternative to using cash or credit cards.
Crypto restaurants in Japan and the lifestyle
Whether you are passing through as a tourist or living in Japan, Choosing where to eat in large cities can become a titanic task.The sheer number of options makes it a matter of personal taste. The truth is that crypto restaurants are a perfect option and have become so widespread that they offer locations near work environments so that workers can eat near their workplaces at lunchtime or at the end of the day.
Many of them They offer the opportunity to take home portions in containers called bentos which are foods that retain heat. Japan offers exceptional restaurants where you can sample a wide variety of dishes and pay with your favorite cryptocurrency. Famous restaurants in the district Roppongi in Tokyo are Gluten-Free T's Kitchen and Dot Raw. Of course, the franchises of Burger King, Subways, Chili, Safari Dining and McDonald's They have menus adapted to the Japanese palate and accept digital assets.
