Videos of Japanese people pranking sushi conveyor stores by licking communal soy sauce bottles, putting wasabi on other people’s orders and performing other unpleasant and unhygienic acts have sparked outrage on social media.
The pranksters targeted famous Japanese sushi chain stores —Hamazushi, Akindo Sushiro and Kura Sushi— and posted their pranks on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter throughout January 2023.
Several videos showed people laughing as they returned or stole sushi from the conveyor belt.
One of the most criticized videos shows a young man drinking from a public soy sauce bottle, licking a cup and using his finger to touch the sushi passing by on the conveyor belt.
Meanwhile, another video shows a man putting wasabi on a sushi order that is not his.
Customers have now expressed concern about eating at conveyor belt sushi restaurants because someone else’s saliva could be on their food.
“I feel nauseous,” one user commented.
“The ‘food safety’ of the Japanese dining industry is threatened by the prank of high school students,” a Twitter user wrote.
Some of the perpetrators have since come forth and apologized for their actions, but other have not been identified, according to Japanese media.
The sushi stores say they are working with the police officers to take legal action.
“We hope that such actions that cause discomfort to our customers can be avoided and can be prevented through the media. Our store staff cannot monitor all customers, but if there is such behavior, we will encourage them to be cautious,” Hamazushi said in a statement.
