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14 · If something goes wrong
Common Tourist Scams
Japan is genuinely very safe — but these few target tourists specifically.
🍺 Bar & drink scams Shinjuku, Roppongi
A stranger offers a "special" all-you-can-drink deal, then the bar charges far more once you're inside. Drink spiking has been reported in Roppongi. The fix: never follow a street invitation into a bar; choose places you researched, and don't leave drinks unattended.
🙏 Fake monk / charm
Someone in robes offers a charm or slips a bracelet on your wrist, then demands payment. The fix: real monks don't approach tourists to sell things. Hand it back and walk away.
💴 Coin & change mix-ups
Occasionally you'll get a Korean 500-won coin (similar to ¥500), fake notes, or short change. The fix: count your change before walking away, especially at street food stalls.
🚆 "I need money to get home"
A man claiming to be a stranded foreigner shows a phone message asking for cash on busy train lines. The fix: politely decline and move away.
💔 Dating app gift cards Never do this
A match asks you to buy a prepaid gift card and send the code before meeting, then vanishes. The fix: never send gift-card codes to someone you haven't met.
🎒 Pickpocketing
Rare overall, but happens at Nishiki Market (Kyoto) and Dotonbori (Osaka). The fix: keep your passport and valuables in an inner, zipped compartment.
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If you're scammed, file a police report even for minor incidents — many scams are treated as civil rather than criminal matters, but a report creates a record, especially if the same scam recurs at one location.