I made a reservation at a restaurant but couldn’t go and they charged me a cancellation fee.

In Japan, a reservation is a restaurant’s promise to keep a table for you no matter how late you arrive. Also, for a course meal, the preparation for dishes starts the previous day. For these reasons, if the customer cancels the reservation without notice, he or she has the responsibility to compensate the restaurant for their loss. Be sure to confirm on the booking site or by phone the number of days in advance up to which can you cancel at no extra cost, and what the cancellation fee is.