Are More Tourists Getting Scammed in Japan?

Woman in mask holding yen - scams targeting tourists in Japan
More tourists to Japan report getting overcharged or just plain ripped off for goods and services. Here are the most common grifts - and how to avoid them.

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There’s a lot of money to be made off of Japan’s tourist boom. And not everyone is scrupulous about the methods they use to make it. As Japan sees a record number of inbound visitors, more travelers say that some businesses are fleecing them. Here are the most common scams to watch out for.

Japan scam-land

Skyline view from a bar
When that woman who invited you for a drink at the bar is three scammers in a trenchcoat. (Picture: gr_K / PIXTA(ピクスタ))

Japan has a reputation for low crime and relative safety. However, “low crime” doesn’t mean “no crime.” While violent crime is more rare, financial crimes and scams abound.

The most common scams target the elderly. The so-called “ore-ore” fraud involves criminal organizations hiring (or coercing) young people to pretend to be someone’s son and asking for money to fend off a financial emergency.

Scams are also common in Japan’s red-light districts. Tokyo’s Kabukicho is notorious for “bars” that are criminal fronts. Loudspeakers in the area particularly warn customers about people who invite them out to bars via dating apps. In many cases, these are scammers who stick unsuspecting visitors with an outsized bill of up to thousands of US dollars.

How much to charge tourists?

In March 2024, Japan saw a record three million tourists enter the country from abroad. The number of inbound travelers hasn’t let up since then.

The influx has had an impact on Japan’s economy – and it’s not entirely positive. To be sure, many businesses are booming thanks to the influx of visitors. It’s likely this year, say experts, that tourism will account for over 1% of Japan’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

With Japan’s weak yen, many are spending more than ever. Indeed, a recent report from Asahi Shimbun spotlighted how tourists from other countries in Asia are flocking to Japan to buy high-end goods they would pay twice as much for back home.

However, in many cases, restaurants and other stores are jacking up prices to reap additional yen from tourists. That’s not as much a concern at known tourist traps like Niseko, where visitors can pay 3,000 yen or more for a bowl of ramen. However, in areas where people live and work, it means locals earning yen also have to pay the jacked-up prices.

The issue has prompted some experts to call for a two-tier pricing system in which restaurants charge non-residents more for the same price. While there hasn’t been a mass movement towards such a system, a few shops are experimenting with either a two-tier pricing system or so-called “locals nights” that cater exclusively to residents.

(Other businesses that don’t want the hassle are outright refusing to serve tourists – specifically, anyone who can’t speak Japanese.)

The scams to look out for

Of course, there are people who have no qualms about taking money from tourists – by hook or by crook. We’ve written before about a few tourist scams. These range from the mostly harmless – such as picture-takers in Kyoto – to the wallet-busting – people walking out of izakaya with bills totaling hundreds of dollars.

It seems such incidents may be on the rise. While there’s no hard data to back it up, Nikkan SPA! did street interviews and examined social media postings to find tourist’s most common complaints. They had no trouble finding people who’ve been victimized by unscrupulous stores or scammers operating illegally.

The most common complaints include:

Service charges. Some restaurants – particularly izakaya – will advertise cheap prices for beer and food, but then stiff customers with mysterious “service charges.” A small service charge (a few hundred yen per person) is common at many izakaya, which charge a base fee for occupying a table and also usually require a minimum drink order. However, less scrupulous charges will assess fees in the thousands of yen – or more.

Taxis. Due to the influx of tourists, taxis in major cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto are operating at max capacity. That’s led to the explosion of so-called “white taxis,” unlicensed private drivers operating illegally. Tourists complained to SPA! that they don’t know how to call a legitimate taxi in Japan, as there is no single app available to help guide them.

Overcharges. Several people complained that they’ve even been stiffed at places like drug stores while buying souvenirs. More than one person said they’ve ended up paying up to an extra 6000 yen (USD $38.11) for stuff they never bought.

How to avoid scams

Cost/performance ratio of traveling to Japan

When it comes to eating out, it’s tempting – and fun – to walk around and pop into a place just because it “looks good.” However, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Whenever possible, check a restaurant’s ratings in Google Maps or on Tabelog, Japan’s answer to Yelp. You can also use Tabelog as well as sites such as Tablecheck and ByFood to find reputable restaurants and make reservations.

As for calling a taxi, Uber in Japan is limited to licensed taxi drivers. (The country is experimenting with opening rideshare apps up to private drivers during congested times in certain areas.) You can also use the Go! app, which rolled out changes recently to enable foreign tourists to register and use the service.

Finally, my own personal piece of advice: Avoid AirBnBs and other such private lodging services. Book with a reputable hotel or a ryokan instead. (We can help you with booking a traditional ryokan experience if you need help planning your Japan trip.) As elsewhere around the world, unscrupulous AirBnB owners can charge “cleaning fees” that unexpectedly jack up the total cost of your stay.

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What to read next

Sources

外国人観光客が日本で“ぼったくり”被害に。SNSで「避けるべき観光地」と悪名高いのは. Nikkan SPA!

値上がりiPhoneも訪日客にはお買い得?「安い国」になった日本. Asahi Shimbun

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