Street Scams in Sapporo, Japan
Pickpockets, distraction thieves, fake petitions, and street hustles in tourist areas. Below are the street scams scams reported in Sapporo — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Kyoto, Beijing, and Shanghai.
Last updated: April 2, 2026
2
Street Scams Scams
10
Total in Sapporo
How it works
Individuals dressed in Buddhist monk robes wait near Sapporo shrines and temples selling bracelets or trinkets supposedly as charitable donations. The money goes directly into their pocket and the items have no genuine religious significance.
How it works
Several souvenir shops along the covered Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade in central Sapporo mark up Hokkaido specialty products — particularly Royce chocolate, Shiroi Koibito biscuits, and dried seafood — well above the standard retail price found at Chitose Airport duty-free or department store basement food halls. Staff may claim the products are limited editions or exclusive to the shop to justify the inflated price. Visitors who buy here without price-checking elsewhere often pay 30–60% more than necessary. The scam is passive rather than aggressive but consistently traps first-time visitors.
See all scams in Sapporo
10 total warnings across all categories