Asia · East Asia
Common scams in Japan
Japan is one of the safest countries for visitors, and street scams are rare. The exception is the nightlife touts in Tokyo's Kabukicho and Roppongi, where inflated bills and, occasionally, spiked drinks are a genuine risk.
The scams you'll actually run into
Kabukicho / Roppongi bar touts
African or Japanese touts on the street invite you to a “bar” or “club” with cheap drinks and company. Inside, drinks are billed at extreme rates, cover and “seating” charges appear, and staff pressure or block you until you pay — cards are sometimes run for thousands.
H.A.C.K. · Kill-SwitchThe move — Never follow a street tout into a bar in Kabukicho or Roppongi. Choose your own venue with visible prices. If trapped, insist on paying only for what you ordered and, if needed, call 110 (police).
Drink spiking in tout bars
In the same nightlife areas, some establishments spike drinks so patrons run up or authorise large payments they don't remember, or wake up with money and cards gone.
H.A.C.K. · Kill-SwitchThe move — Only drink somewhere you chose and can see the bar. Watch your drink being made and never leave it unattended.
“Monk” selling bracelets or blessings
People dressed as Buddhist monks near tourist spots in Tokyo and Kyoto offer a bracelet or a “blessing” card and then press for a donation of several thousand yen.
H.A.C.K. · ComfortThe move — Real monks don't solicit on the street. Decline the item; if you've taken it, hand it back and walk.
Taxi long routes from stations
A small number of taxi drivers take a longer route from major stations or airports when they spot a tourist who doesn't know the city.
H.A.C.K. · ComfortThe move — Show the driver the destination on a map and glance at your own route. Trains and the fixed-fare airport limousine buses avoid it entirely.
What these scams have in common
Most Japan scams lean on Comfort and Kill-Switch. Whatever the trick, the way out is the same three moves — Pause · Assess · Talk: stop before you pay, hand over a document or follow someone; ask what the request really wants; then say it out loud to someone you trust, or your bank on the number from your card.
Practise it — free TravelSafe checkJapan travel-scam FAQ
Is Japan safe for tourists?
Extremely. Petty crime and street scams are rare. The one real trap is the nightlife touts in Tokyo's Kabukicho and Roppongi — never follow one into a bar. Everywhere else, normal caution is more than enough.
What are the touts in Kabukicho?
Men on the street inviting you to bars or clubs with cheap-drink promises. The venues then charge extreme prices, add invented fees, and pressure or trap you into paying. Spiked drinks and forced card payments have both been reported. Pick your own bar with prices on display.
Official travel advisories for Japan
Fraud and scam wording pulled from the official Canadian and New Zealand travel advisories. Use the government sources for current travel decisions.
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Scam guides for nearby destinations
H.A.C.K. — the four pressure tactics
Every scam on this page is tagged with the tactic it uses. Recognise the tactic, not the trick.
- H Hurry
- Urgency. A deadline, a countdown or a “right now” that leaves no time to check.
- A Authority
- Officialdom. A badge, a title, a uniform or an official-sounding request you feel you can't question.
- C Comfort
- Familiarity. A friendly local, a routine or an emotion that makes the request feel safer than it is.
- K Kill-Switch
- The cut-off. The moment you're pushed to pay, click, hand over a document or follow someone — before you can verify.
The way out of all four: Pause · Assess · Talk.
Last reviewed 2026-09. Scams change — always cross-check the official advisory before travelling.