Locals 'disgusted' by tourists at overcrowded free ice cream event in Tokyo

An event for the free distribution of a popular ice cream product has led to backlash from locals in Tokyo.

Morinaga, one of Japan’s most recognisable food manufacturers, announced via social media that they would give away their popular “Choco Monaka Jumbo” ice creams free of charge to visitors to Sensoji Temple, situated in the Asakusa district, over the weekend of 29th and 30th March 2025.

The event was promoted on social media by Morinaga, a move that led to an influx of people in search of free ice cream

A total of 25,000 Choco Monaka Jumbo were given out over 2 days, with the last free ice cream being handed over at just after 12:00 on Sunday, 30th March.

A total of 25,000 free ice creams were set to be handed out over the space of 2 days

The event was popular with visitors to the Temple as temperatures reached highs of 14°C in Tokyo (57°F), despite there being some periods of rain.

Ice creams were still handed out despite periods of rain around the Temple

In a step they may now regret, Morinaga encouraged individuals to “please stop by if you’re in Asakusa this weekend!”.

The official website of Sensoji Temple’s Omotesando Nakamise also provided coverage of the event, noting that “many tourists were smacking their lips,” at the prospect of a free sweet treat, but they also indicated that the location was experiencing significant crowding.

The promise of free ice cream drew significant queues in an already busy area

Sensoji Temple is perhaps one of the busiest tourist attractions in Tokyo, and weekends can be incredibly busy with crowds of tourists vying for the best photo spots, such as the Kaminarimon gate.

Kaminarimon is often a must-visit photo spot for many tourists

Whilst Morinaga’s idea to promote their products at an area popular with foreign visitors was perhaps seen internally as good marketing, and was no doubt appreciated by tourists, the event was not universally well received as there was some negative feedback from locals.

With the event coinciding with the start of the cherry blossom viewing season around Tokyo, as well as favorable weather conditions on the 30th, Sensoji Temple was likely going to be one of the busiest areas in Tokyo over the weekend.

Despite the positive demeanour of the Morinaga staff at the event, some locals did not approve of their activities

These factors, combined with the prospect of free ice cream, seems to have created a perfect storm of conditions that lured more visitors than normal to the area.

Social media platforms saw a range of commentary, with some users expressing positive sentiments, such as “Foreign tourists will be happy!” and “Morinaga is so generous!”.

Other users voiced concerns regarding the crowding, with comments like “It’s unbelievably crowded”, “It was scary when all the foreigners in Asakusa were eating Choco Monaka Jumbo (they were giving them out for free)”, and “It was disgusting, there were so many people…”.

Some locals were unhappy that an event that encouraged public eating was held so close to a Temple

Despite some less than positive feedback, any negativity will likely be short-lived and Morinaga will view the event as a success in terms of promoting their products to tourists and locals alike.

Source: OTTO!

Images: Morinaga Official X