Today, I(23 M)was going back home from my interview for vocational school and on my way back before arriving to the station, a man(5’ 11”)(looks young) approached me and asked if I have 100 yen or so in Japanese while showing a hundred yen on his hand. I felt overwhelmed and unsafe because he looks so so strange as if he’d harm me and said “no, I don’t have any money” and left. And then he called me again and asked if I have card or so. I said “no card” in English and I just left. I want to know if anyone has encountered an issue like that!
Update – it maybe the same guy from 5 years ago. The person in description of this comment https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/s/IxNEYB90AC has the same profile with the guy I encountered. The 100 yen coin and tattoos on neck.
by Yuuichi_Kiyo
14 comments
There are strange people in every city in the world, you’ll be fine bro. Crazy work to post this little anecdote lmao.
I got stopped once by a young guy with google translate opened up with a sob story about needing 500 yen. I asked do you speak Japanese? And I pointed at others around (most Japanese). I think they target foreigners.
That guys back? He’s been around for YEARS. He used to ask for 500yen, guess he’s lowered his expectations.
That being said the fact you got panhandled being so unusual in Japan isn’t a bad thing…
EDIT: Hmm, might be someone new – while he is tall he is also older in previous reports. https://old.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/epvswg/creepy_japanese_guy_who_targets_foreigners_and/
This happens all the time. It’s a large urban area.
“overwhelmed and unsafe…”
Bro, you need to grow up and get out more…Sheesh
That’s a pretty accurate height estimate, kudos to you
>And then he called me again and asked if I have card or so.
Did he have a wireless portable card reader, did it work with contactless payment methods? Did he accept SUICA/PASMO by any chance? Payments by Apple Watch?
What? The dude’s just asking for a 100 yen. Maybe he needed to call someone. Or maybe he needed to buy something important. You could’ve asked him. If you don’t like what you hear you can always decline. You act like he’s gonna murder you for not giving away a hundred yen.
Pretty common. One of the below was probably going to happen:
Open wallet to give 100 yen, get robbed.
Open wallet, give 100 yen, he takes a peek at your bills, if you got $$ you get marked. Con is best in pairs.
Open wallet, give 100 yen, he asks for money every day you pass by.
Open wallet give 100 yen, never see him again.
If I was to guess? Probably #2.
When in doubt, always go by your intuition.
Or if you want, say sure, let’s go in front of the koban and I’ll give you a 100 yen 🙂
People beg for money all the time in Tokyo, and they’ll often target foreigners. It won’t be the last time. Just ignore them.
It’s a beggar. They target foreigners because Japanese people won’t give them anything.
Just say no and walk away.
That’s it?
I have had a similar experience. I was asked for 500 yen, which I declined politely. He then approached the next person.
Hate to break it to you but pretty sure going out of your way to post stuff like this makes *you* the strange person.
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