Kabukicho is often called the bad area of Tokyo – but is it really dangerous to visit? I went to Kabukicho to see what it’s like, and see if it feels safe.
GET MY JAPAN TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK: https://www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk/product/japan-travel-guide-book/
Kabukicho is Tokyo’s red light district. It’s an area of Shinjuku with lots of bars, restaurants and karaoke – as well as love hotels, host bars and more sketchy establishments. However, as a foreigner or tourist just walking through, there’s no reason to be scared of going to Kabukicho and walking around. Obviously, use your common sense, but you’re only going to get into trouble if you go into a dodgy bar or let the touts entice you in. Crime levels in Japan are low and there aren’t really any dodgy areas in Tokyo that you need to avoid.
SUBSCRIBE for new Japan vlogs coming up later this year.
MY DESIGNS: Support Cakes with Faces by taking a look at my t-shirts, dresses, hoodies & more: https://www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk (worldwide shipping)
FOLLOW Cakes with Faces:
https://www.facebook.com/cakeswithfaces
Tweets by cakeswithfaces
http://instagram.com/cakeswithfaces
www.google.com/+CakeswithfacesCoUk
Free music created with Jukedeck.
37 Comments
Your hair is amazing. Instant subscription here !!! Yep,it was me in the love hotel…
Love your commonsense angle,don't be a div and you'll be fine
Maybe a slightly dangerous area in Tokyo, but compared to South Bronx, downtown Detroit or East L.A., the notion of danger in Japan seems like a joke.
Why not clearly say avoid the Nigerians
China is way safer
I was in Kabukicho at 4am alone the other day I ran into someone who told me I should leave the area since it isn't safe so I decided I should probably leave after that ran into a toot who tried making me come for a drink told him I had my flight home in a couple of hours so I needed to leave so he told me I should give him all my yen since I won't need it then asked what's in my jacket pockets after I said I didn't have any and luckily all my money was in my wallet in my pants but ended up being able to walk away. Wouldn't recommend being there at 4am alone
I'm trying to learn all I can for my first ever trip to Japan in July, and becoming wary of places to avoid or what to look out for. You mentioned foreigners getting ripped off or even drugged in some bars, and to just to go safe ones, but for tourists and people who have never been there before how do you know what a 'safe' bar is? Love the channel, its been very helpful and informative 🙂
it's hard to see legit reviews if you use Yelp, right? I am planning to go to Tokyo but I want to visit kabukicho for the night life but to try out a good restaurant
Just come back, was pretty good. I could see what them touts were up to a mile off though, so i just ignored them.. im quite ignorant anyway so it wàs easy lol.
The bikes looked locked on the wheels. You just need to insert a key. You don't want to be seen carrying it around.
Actually kinda surprises me that you didn't get approached, i wonder if it's a "guys only" thing. I stayed in kabukicho for a week at apa hotel, during daytime kabukicho was fine i never had a problem during daytime. But after 9pm the nigerian guys came out, and i kid you not there'd be a guy at EVERY street corner bugging me to come inside to "have a drink and touch some titties" (That's the line every single one of them used). If you wanna enjoy a night out in kabukicho stay at golden gai, they don't come there for some reason. I'd much rather stay at a place outside kabukicho and come there during daytime.
These nigerian mobsters would stand right next to speakers yelling "DO NOT FOLLOW THESE GUYS ANYWHERE" and hassle people, they completely ruined my mood to go outside at night some days. Sure there'd be a japanese guy asking the same thing every now and then, but all you had to do there would be to walk past. The chinese girls would be tugging my arm trying to pull me in to get a massage. The nigerian guys would just not lay off, they'd follow me up the street even when i'd said no to them several times.
Looking for the random street punks just standing in the middle of the street waiting to fight you. CHATA CHATA!
Hey love the vids you’ve posted….I’m thinking of going in October on my own but can’t decide whether alone is wise??? :/
If you're a fan of the Yakuza games, the main thing to be careful of in Kabukicho is using the word "yakuza" too loudly in every other sentence lol. The word is basically taboo in Japan.
Be aware of the sex trafficking and prostitutes that work in kabukicho.
Drugs, prostitution and sex slaves are in the hands of the yakuza.
Huh? That's weird, last time i was there i bumped into some punks every 15 mts, asking me to give the contents of my wallet to them, luckily, i beat the shit out of them with bikes parked there. ;D
hmmm,… it's not shown in maps anymore but I would definitely not go to Sanya in Tokyo,… Kamata is relatively safe but, um, I think there is too much prostitution,… it seems like it's declining over the years but there are still mafia families in the wards,…
It is great to see not only a British V logging in Japan by also one with an interest in the entertainment like anime or Nintendo like myself. You are more you less the only 1 I have seen how has ticked all those boxes. AbroadinJapan is english but he isn't really too into anime to legitimally count. Also make sure to do vid vid of you trying some japanese on traditional british food staples such as fish and chip or sheppards pie (both amongst the most popular ones as we know our food while not the fanciest is still pretty darn tasty and the traditional and very beautiful area of the cotwolds is actually opening the Japanese up to it and making most of them happily not only walk into a traditional british pub but also excitedly try our food as well with Japanese making up at least half of all tens of thousands of the yearly visitors and the number of British outlets in Tokyo on Trip Advisor more than doubling from less than 20 to over 50 in the past 1 to 2 years as a result and as most of the food places are traditional british pubs. The power of beauty and tourism for you. So yeah please do that if you haven't already.
Literally just got back from Japan, mate and I were staying in a capsule hotel few minutes walk away from Kabukicho 😂 we were on our way to batting cages, and didn't realise we'd walked into a red light district. It was fun to experience, even with the touts, glad we didn't go with no wallet, because one did pat my jacket to see if I was carrying my wallet 😂. I would honestly say, yes, it's safe. Just don't be silly about accepting touts offers. Keep your head screwed on the right way, then you'll be fine.
Going to Japan on Saturday and staying in this area. Great video and good information.
Kamurocho, which is the main setting of most of the Yakuza games, is basically an exaggerated Kabukicho, a bit like Los Santos is an exaggerated Los Angeles.
The safety issue with this district is not street crime, it’s the crime that affects you (mostly males) if you go into any bar.
And remember to stay away from Mr. Shakedown
How dangerous is kabukicho?
About as dangerous as Mr Rogers neighborhood…
It's all fun and games until you walk alone in Kabukicho at night thinking that it is safe and a group of Nigerian drags you inside their bar..
I like a safe place around Tokyo like Shibuya, Shinjiku, Akihabara, and my favorite Asakusa-Kumarae in which I stayed at APA Hotel 🏩 near 'BAN DAI Building'! Boy! I am lucky. Is Kabukicho unsafe?
I sawed the animated series online: "Kabukicho Sherlock". In the scene: those kids 🧒 are normal, but they 'not normal-pickpockets!' Here in Kabukicho. Avoid that, but keep your eye peel open and watch your distance! My goodness.
You (cakes with face) look cheap, that's why they don't approach or go near you. Or maybe, there is camera always focusing on you.
Bicycles are safe but I read somewhere that umbrellas aren't as safe as bikes
I’ve been scammed and robbed there before, by some Japanese guy.
Damn people really do just leave their bikes there, u never know when the Yakuza will show up
Ah yes.. life before the Corona
OK now can you please tell me where Pocket Circuit Stadium is?
LOVE YOU FROM ALGERIA 🇩🇿🇯🇵
I love Tokyo now it is a beautiful city people. This is a amazing city
THAT LOOk LIKE YAKUZA 6 THE SONG Of life
Fan from 🇺🇸, love 🇯🇵, love Yakuza series
I heard strange things about host clubs. All girls in Tokyo know about Kabukicho and host clubs, why do they go there after nightfall and enter a host club ? Prior to visiting a club they withdraw a lot of cash for in Japan you don't pay with a check or credit card, so it was not an accident, they planned to have a spicy adventure that night. 300 host clubs in Kabukicho, some richly decorated, there must be a lot of clients to support them. Aren't there other places where single women could meet boys ?
I stayed there in 2019 and at night one of the touts asked us non stop to go to his bar. we eventually gave in and followed him and they try to get you to stay as long as possible, order drinks for the girls that work there and then charge you a crazy amount. after that we decided to just keep our face masks on and walk with the japanese crowd with our face down to avoid them.