Is Tokyo Safe in January 2026?

Touts near Kabukicho or Roppongi invite tourists into a bar, claiming it is free entry or a flat rate. Once inside, drink and hostess companion fees accumulate silently, and the final bill can reach tens of thousands of yen. Bouncers may intimidate customers who refuse to pay.

How to avoid: Avoid bars where touts approach you on the street. Always ask for a full written price list before sitting down. If a bill seems wrong, request an itemized receipt and consider calling the police rather than paying under duress.

Some tourist-oriented souvenir shops in Asakusa display items with artificially inflated original prices crossed out to imply large discounts. The sale price is still well above what the same items cost at convenience stores, Don Quijote, or reputable department stores.

How to avoid: Compare prices at multiple shops before buying. Check Don Quijote, Daiso, or larger department stores for baseline prices on common souvenirs such as matcha snacks, chopstick sets, or character goods.

A match made on Tinder, Bumble, or Japanese apps like Pairs initiates contact and arranges to meet at a specific bar in Kabukicho, claiming they wanted to try the place. Once inside, the "date" orders multiple rounds using games where penalty drinks are excluded from flat-rate packages and priced individually at thousands of yen each. The bill can easily reach 50,000-200,000 yen before the contact slips away. Shinjuku Police reported over 360 complaints from this scheme alone by late 2024, with total losses exceeding 140 million yen.

How to avoid: Never let a dating app match choose the venue — suggest a neutral, well-known izakaya chain yourself. If a new acquaintance insists on a specific obscure bar in Kabukicho, treat it as a red flag. Leave immediately if the bill structure seems designed to exclude items from the agreed package.

In Kabukicho and Roppongi, tourists have their drinks spiked with sedatives at certain nightclubs and hostess-style bars. Once incapacitated, staff or associates use contactless payment, Face ID, or PIN-guessing to drain bank accounts, charge credit cards multiple times, and in some cases steal cryptocurrency via unlocked phones. British and US government advisories specifically flag Kabukicho and Roppongi as high-risk zones for this crime. At least one documented 2025 case involved a victim losing $20,000 USD in cryptocurrency after his phone was accessed via Face ID while unconscious.

How to avoid: Never accept drinks from strangers or leave a beverage unattended. In Kabukicho and Roppongi, avoid bars you have not researched in advance. Use a strong PIN rather than biometric unlock when in nightlife districts. Travel with a companion if visiting these areas at night. Contact your card issuer immediately if you suspect fraud.

A friendly young local approaches tourists near Ueno or Harajuku claiming to be an art student and invites them to a gallery showing of their work. The gallery is a high-pressure sales room where tourists are urged to buy heavily overpriced prints. Refusal is met with guilt-tripping and persistent social pressure.

How to avoid: Politely decline unsolicited invitations from strangers to art galleries or studios. Legitimate student exhibitions do not require a personal escort from a street tout. If genuinely interested, look up the gallery independently online first.