Kabukicho Street Touts

[burberry]

i know there are many threads like this but just thought I'd post another warning.

Had a guy approach me in front of a prominent store and started explaining the store. As it was a well known establishment I stopped to listen, he then suddenly branched off to suggest other establishments offering the same service at a better deal that's when alarm bells went off and I signalled to leave.

That's when he wouldn't let me go and said his time was money and began acting aggressively. He said because of the time he spent with me he lost customers and asked for a 'tip' which was not just ¥1000. As it is Japan everyone around just ignored what was going on, eventhough he was shouting and threatening violence, if you want to go home then pay me.

No matter how friendly and nice don't even spare anyone a single minute.

 

[TAG Manager]

That's when he wouldn't let me go and said his time was money and began acting aggressively. He said because of the time he spent with me he lost customers and asked for a 'tip' which was not just ¥1000. As it is Japan everyone around just ignored what was going on, even though he was shouting and threatening violence, if you want to go home then pay me.

Yikes. Next time, just say you're gay (someone else mentioned this in another thread somewhere) or "let's walk over to the police box and we can talk about it".

Nobody paid attention, probably because you were speaking in English? Just a guess?
(but, yeah, unless something is really happening, people mind their own business.. both good and bad)

 

[burberry]

The conversation was in Japanese, and he would not have responded well to the threat of police. He was ready to slug me from the looks of it, or call up a group of his friends. I had too much money on me to risk starting anything so it was lose a little or lose everything really.

Now that I think about it he was the one who started speaking in English when he was losing his temper to get the message across that he was pissed off.

When I explained to him I didn't want to go to other shops and only talked to him because we were discussing a specific shop, he said you cannot go in there anyway.

 

[TAG Manager]

The entire conversation was in Japanese, and he would not have responded well to the threat of police. He was ready to slug me from the looks of it, or call up a group of his friends. I had too much money on me to risk starting anything so it was lose a little or lose everything really.

Hmmm.... As much as I've heard them threaten, they've never, ever acted on it... especially if it's on a public street. There's plenty of witnesses (people & cameras) -- and I'm surprised about the Japanese part. The people they work for will be not so happy if their touts get ID'd by the police for such activity... and even more so now as Kabukicho is more 'tourist friendly' as it were.

 

[User#8628]

Japanese guy?

 

[burberry]

Yeah Japanese guy

I wonder why they allow these scams to continue, most Japanese only places tell everyone they don't street touts right? キャッチ行為を 一切行なっておりません

 

[User#8628]

Yeah Japanese guy

I wonder why they allow these scams to continue, most Japanese only places tell everyone they don't street touts right? キャッチ行為を 一切行なっておりません

I think its the really underground places, not legit shops. And the girls are Chinese or fat/unattractive Japanese.

 

[burberry]

Yea

I think its the really underground places, not legit shops. And the girls are Chinese or fat/unattractive Japanese.

and these shops exist to service the tourists I mean who else would fall for that ?

 

[User#8628]

Yea



and these shops exist to service the tourists I mean who else would fall for that ?

Japanese guys can be pushovers.
There are people who fall for it appearantly.

 

[matt_j]

The conversation was in Japanese, and he would not have responded well to the threat of police. He was ready to slug me from the looks of it, or call up a group of his friends. I had too much money on me to risk starting anything so it was lose a little or lose everything really.

Now that I think about it he was the one who started speaking in English when he was losing his temper to get the message across that he was pissed off.

When I explained to him I didn't want to go to other shops and only talked to him because we were discussing a specific shop, he said you cannot go in there anyway.

I know it sounds terrible, but the fuck man! How were you ever physically scammed by Japanese guys? Don't you have any street smarts? Where are you from? Japanese guys? Really?

Sorry, but that's maybe the first street level example I've ever heard of that.

Sorry.

 

[Sudsy]

Touts... not even once. No matter where they're from.

 

[KumaDog]

I sometimes use the info kiosks, I forget Japanese name. Never had an issue. Touts, usually the ones from Ghana can be a pain in the dick. But Japanese guy? For real? Unless they are a sumo I can snap these guys like a twig.