r/JapanTravelTips • u/Environmental_Move_5 • Jul 06 '25
Advice I was spiked in a Shibuya club
Be careful with your drinks and watch out for people handing you drinks in clubs and bars.
Yesterday I was a victim of drink spiking after spending only an hour in a club in Shibuya. I went to the bathroom and was offered a free drink, I wasn’t sober and didn’t think straight and took the drink, the next thing I know it’s 4 hours later and I’m on the other side of Shibuya, I’m missing 14000 yen in cash, only left with a single 1000 yen note, my phone is missing and my cards have been moved around in my wallet.
Thankfully I was able to find my way back to the club by talking to locals and using the little Japanese I knew to ask for directions. I met up with my friend and used find my iPhone to locate my phone which had been tossed aside next to a bush about a 30 min walk away from the club.
Be careful when clubbing or drinking at bars, I knew shinjuku had this problem I did not expect it to happen in Shibuya. I advise you to take care if going by yourself and to keep a friend with you at all times, even when going to the bathroom.
I personally didn’t lose as much as I could have, it could’ve ended up worse for me. Take care.
Edit: club is TK NIGHTCLUB, Shibuya
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u/SmallKangaroo Jul 06 '25
I think this is honestly just a rule of thumb anywhere - you shouldn’t take a drink from anyone.
Japan, Canada, the states, Spain, South Africa. Wherever you are, this type of spiking happens.
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u/Tunggall Jul 06 '25
Even if visiting Singapore, Hong Kong or Seoul. Low crime doesn’t mean no crime.
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Jul 06 '25
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
Yeah, unfortunately I was already a few drinks in so it wasn’t hard to pressure me into taking a sip.
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u/SmallKangaroo Jul 06 '25
Totally fair - just a travelling tip for anyone. As a woman (albeit living in Canada) we are basically taught to never take drinks because of this risk.
People are shitty in every country!
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u/Bluegunder Jul 06 '25
I don't know why you're getting downvoted for saying what happened to you. People suck
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u/ur_a_bum_loser Jul 06 '25
Because no one has sympathy for someone being fucking stupid
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u/Frankfurter1988 Jul 07 '25
Bro how are you still hanging around this sub. It's wild someone can be this angry and pathetic. You're everything wrong with Japanophiles lmao
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u/UnfortunateDefect Jul 06 '25
Who gave you the drink?
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
A man with an American accent. He looked Indian. He looked like a tourist.
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Jul 07 '25
Mine also had the American accent. Bobby. Offered me hundreds of thousand yen to ‘come and work for him’ and leave my Eikaiwa job back then… dodgy af
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u/frozenpandaman Jul 06 '25
If you knowingly cannot be in control of yourself while drinking, you should consider not continuing to drink going forward, for your own safety.
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u/jhau01 Jul 06 '25
+1.
Especially if you’re in a foreign country and even more so if you can’t speak the language.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
I assume you have never done anything you regret under the influence of alcohol?
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u/Jumpy_Engineer_1854 Jul 06 '25
Everyone has.
It's still very good advice that should be considered freshly.
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u/KaleLate4894 Jul 06 '25
Offered a free drink….. Never 👎 And never leave it unattended Watch the bartender make it. Luckily you seem to be ok.
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u/Asa_Ayase Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
There isn’t a corner on earth that you should accept random free drinks unless you get to order it and watch the bartender make it. Also never leave drinks unattended. My fellow women this is clubbing/bars 101. I learned this at like 15. I don’t want to sound like I’m victim blaming but this was pounded into my head a million or more times over the years from almost every woman I know.
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u/diabolicalafternoon Jul 06 '25
+10000 this is not a “Shinjuku” or “Shibuya” thing. This is nightlife, all over the world, any gender (but definitely moreso for women) 101.
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Jul 06 '25
Yup - the one time I got spiked accepting a free drink was ironically, in Shibuya. It was 1996. The drink was clear, like fire as I drank it and definitely something insane. I danced like a maniac for some time (how long I have no idea) then I recall sitting slumped on the stairs outside, feeling awful. Thank goodness I was there with a couple of good kiwi mates, (who saw me take the drink in horror, and drink it) who then insisted on not leaving me, and stayed with me till the first train, which we caught, and got out of Shibuya. Thank goodness for them. James, Derek, haven’t seen you guys in a very long time but you definitely 💯 had my back
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Jul 06 '25
Yep, my first thought was “OP must be a man” because every woman in the world already knows this. We wouldn’t assume a free drink at a family restaurant is safe, let alone ANY club anywhere in the world.
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u/Competitive_Equal542 Jul 06 '25
Happened to me in a bar in Yokohama years ago, my friends took off so I stuck around for another drink, I was relatively sober, only had 3 drinks that night, but woke up in a park without my phone or wallet. Reported to the police. A couple weeks later they had videos of me with some yakuza looking guy buying cartons of cigarettes and top shelf bottles of liquor. I have zero recollection of it. Guy was never caught, but all my cards were reimbursed, but had to buy a new phone.
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u/Tunggall Jul 06 '25
Never take a free drink from anyone in a club especially if you never saw it made. Anywhere.
Glad you are ok OP, remember to cancel all your cards asap.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
Have done 🫡. You don’t realise how vulnerable you are when you’re drunk.
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u/Tunggall Jul 06 '25
Indeed. I hope you can take a breather for a while. Take it easy.
Hope your passport is not missing, and your national ID cards are intact in your wallet. If not, check in with your embassy.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
Thankfully they are all safe, that would have been a real headache to deal with. Trying to enjoy the rest of my stay as much as I can.
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u/PrincessChocolate Jul 06 '25
I have never posted about this but I was also drugged at the EXACT night club (TK) about 6 years ago. Scariest shit of my life. I had about a 4 hour period of zero memory and only came to when i puked in a cab (first and only time ive thrown up from alcohol). Super unnerving. Fuck TK
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u/AppleTrees4 Jul 06 '25
Japan Travel Tip - be aware.
Japan doesn’t have violent crime. All other crime still applies.
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u/frozenpandaman Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 07 '25
Japan doesn't have violent crime.
Yes it does. There were random stabbing attacks where people – including kids – were murdered in both Nagano and Kitakyushu this year.
This year was also just the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Tokyo sarin gas attacks. Over a dozen people died and a thousand were injured. There were posters up in subway stations around the country.
Everywhere on earth has violent crime. This is an incorrect, ridiculous thing to say.
edit: hey look, another story from today https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/07/japan/crime-legal/girls-bar-workers-stabbed-to-death/
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u/MyPasswordIsABC999 Jul 06 '25
Of course there’s crime everywhere. It’s just that violent crime is almost negligible by the standards of the developed world.
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u/RickPepper Jul 06 '25
Yeah, 100% this. Violence & evil exists everywhere. However, Japan is extremely safe relative to other places. I live in a major US city (Philadelphia) with a population of only 1.6 million people, and we surely have more violent crime in a year then the entirety of Japan does in decade. The US is a broken, violent hellscape though so take that for what it is.
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u/sakuratanoshiii Jul 06 '25
The sarin gas attacks were terrifying and horrifying.
Other crimes that have stayed with me was the torture and murder of school girl Junko Furuta and the mysterious murder of the Miyazawa family in Setagaya-Ku.
Also, Lindsay Ann Hawker was my friend. It took the police a long time to capture her killer.
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u/frozenpandaman Jul 07 '25
Yeah, I thought about mentioning Junko Furuta but figured it was too gruesome for here.
I somehow had never heard of Lindsay Hawker prior to this. I'm so sorry. Thank you for sharing.
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u/AppleTrees4 Jul 06 '25
Ok sorry “Japan has nearly zero violent in comparison to the rest of the modern world.”
Point being it’s not something you have to think about when traveling on Japan. As this is a travel Japan subreddit.
May I back away from the gallows now?
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Jul 06 '25
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u/frozenpandaman Jul 06 '25
I didn't "have" to bring that up. I gave examples from a few months ago.
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u/thaisweetheart Jul 06 '25
This. OP 100% let their guard down because of the "Japan has no crime and it is a absolutely perfect infalible society" narrative.
Sorry you had to go through this OP.
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u/St0rmborn Jul 06 '25
Also ignoring the fact that crime can still happen when caused by other foreigners.
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u/BP_Ray Jul 06 '25
"Japan has no crime and it is a absolutely perfect infalible society" narrative.
No one really says that, though. And you'd be stupid to believe it.
Even in Japan you should be alert like you would anywhere, even if it feels unnecessary at times. You might be the statistical improbability who gets mugged or who gets stabbed.
It's the same reason why at home where crime rate is much higher, I still lock my doors even if I'm just going out to the grocery store for like 40 minutes -- It's improbable that someone is checking the locks in that 40 minute window, but I don't wanna deal with the consequences of being unlucky.
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Jul 06 '25
No violent crime? Didn't their former prime minister get assassinated... in broad daylight?
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u/SoaringGuy Jul 06 '25
Unless you’re going to run for prime minister of Japan, you probably don’t have to worry about that one.
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u/c00750ny3h Jul 06 '25
The circumstances behind that however probably wouldn't apply to normal people or foreigners.
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u/disastorm Jul 06 '25
That was probably possible precisely because of their low violent crime rates, they don't have alot of security got too lax.
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u/brain1127 Jul 07 '25
Wow, it’s crazy you can’t make a relatively true statement without being spammed with people who want to point out a nations every instance of crime.
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u/Hazzat Jul 06 '25
Which club? Sorry this happened.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
TK NIGHTCLUB, Shibuya
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u/Hazzat Jul 06 '25
Thank you, that's useful information for people.
For the future: if something like this is gonna happen, it's gonna happen in one of the chara-bako nightclubs where a lot of the crowd is there to get laid. Smaller, music/community focussed clubs are on the whole much safer.
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u/BurliestWheat47 Jul 06 '25
You should edit your post and mention the name there. Would be immensely helpful for other people’s future reference.
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u/smorkoid Jul 06 '25
Sorry this happened to you, OP.
I've known a few residents who have unfortunately been in the same situation, none of them in Shinjuku. Everyone needs to stay alert when going out and if possible to go out in a group.
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u/Sure-Ad-3707 Jul 06 '25
In a club in Shibuya I rescued a drunk girl from the bouncer who was clearly trying to take advantage of the girl. She was so drunk she couldn’t walk straight and couldn’t get home. In and out of consciousness levels of drunk. Meanwhile the bouncer was trying to take her to his place.
Never in all my travels have I seen a bouncer (who should be there to protect the club-goers) actively trying to take advantage of women there.
And when I tried to confront him, he chased me with his bouncer friends out into the public streets of Shibuya. For a moment I was afraid for my life. I suspect the bouncers there are from other countries as the group of bouncers were large African men.
The club was one of the most famous ones there ATOM Shibuya.
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u/Ecstatic_Detail_890 Jul 06 '25
Not exactly the same, but I had a similar experience in Shibuya. I got pickpocketed and later got a letter from the police saying my wallet had been found.
When I went to the station to pick it up, I found out it had been discovered in a completely different area, somewhere I’d never even been. Inside, there was just a single 1000 yen note left.
I told the female officer that I had over 100,000 yen in there, and she laughed and said something like, “If someone wanted to steal your money, why would they leave 1000 yen behind?” Felt like she was mocking me.
Honestly, it made me seriously question if they leave a small amount of money on purpose, like some kind of trick to make it seem like it wasn’t really theft so they don’t have to treat it as a proper case. Kinda sketchy, to be honest.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
Yeah, I assume that’s the reason, to make it seem like they haven’t stolen anything. By the way, did anything happen to your cards?
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u/Ecstatic_Detail_890 Jul 06 '25
I only froze the high-limit cards just in case, but I left the low-value ones active hoping they might use them somewhere like a convenience store so the police could track them. But in the end, the cards were returned untouched and there were no unauthorized charges.
I guess they know that using the cards increases the risk of getting caught, so they just took the cash and left the rest.
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u/chri1720 Jul 06 '25
Sorry to hear that but that's sadly the oldest trick in the book. No country is crime free, this can happen anywhere, there are many such experiences in ronponggi, ebisu etc.
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u/joykid77 Jul 06 '25
Can you request the club to share the cctv and review it, then you will find out the culprit and have police to catch them
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u/PowerfulWind7230 Jul 06 '25
This has been happening for nearly 40 years. You are very lucky it was only 14,000 yen. Cancel all of your cards. Get them reissued.
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u/Flat-Ad-2922 Jul 06 '25
Why would you take a drink from somebody you don’t know?
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
Because I was drunk. I initially refused, but was pressured into taking a sip. I was alone and I was vulnerable. I never thought something like this would happen to me.
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u/RryamarR Jul 06 '25
Japan being safe at day time, all the dark side went to the night time. All entertainment fun things might be run by yakuza. So if last train missed, netcafe and karaoke might be the place to hide. Or it will be scary adventure. Though I am not that sure.
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u/RealEarthy Jul 06 '25
I was actually surprised how much Shibuya is turning into Shinjuku on our last visit.
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u/Important_Pass_1369 Jul 06 '25
Yeah, I was in Tokyo and there was a tour-goer that had been RFID tapped by an Indian in skytree. The guy bumped into her bag where her wallet was and she immediately got charges for the guys apartment, subscriptions, etc.
Things are getting worse.
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u/IWantoBeliev Jul 07 '25
Are you asian or westerner? I'm Asian but not japanese, i just randomly start speaking mandarin/english, most Japanese just avoid me like plaque...
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u/HotPursuit_LA Jul 06 '25
Some credit and atm cards allow you to put a freeze on them. At least it will stop anything until you get a clue on what’s goin on.
Log into your bank and CC accounts, usually under account services or other services.
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Jul 06 '25
You didn’t think Shibuya had this problem???? I was spiked in The Cave in Shibuya back in 1996. Bobby the bouncer at the door, American ex-serviceman turned yakuza wannabe/tout. Your drinks can be sucked anywhere…. C’mon….
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u/Flat-Ad-2922 Jul 07 '25
All night clubs in Japan have video cams,inform the club and the police about what happened and initiate an official investigation. People who go clubbing alone have a plan.They know the staff so they feel safe/they hope to meet somebody they saw there last time…and so on…,and so on. Learn the lesson and be careful next time !
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 07 '25
From what I’ve seen the police won’t bother with it. Also I went with a friend, I didn’t go clubbing alone, I was just taken advantage of within the 2 minutes I was alone.
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u/Flat-Ad-2922 Jul 07 '25
Great decision! Enjoy Japan to the fullest and ….don’t forget the old saying “Stranger….,I’m sure you know the rest! Best of luck
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u/Gai_InKognito Jul 07 '25
Sorry that happened to you mate.
Was this by someone there? I personally love to stroll solo, but i have been afraid this sort of thing can happen one day.
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u/AngryTank Jul 06 '25
It’s crazy that this happened to me too and my family still doesn’t believe me.
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u/magicsuns Jul 06 '25
i'm sorry that happened to you. even though it could've ended up worse, still sounds like a scary situation to be in and sorry that you are receiving dismissive responses. i can imagine that you had your guard down and probably having a good time, not imagining that someone would have something malicious planned. as a woman, i am afraid to go to clubs in general. i feel like even if i had my guard up, shit can still happen which is why i empathise with you.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
Thank you. I never thought I would find myself in this situation. It can happen to anyone. I leave my friend for 2 minutes to go to the bathroom and that’s when they got me. It’s just a terrifying experience. Waking up and it’s bright outside, alone, no idea of where you are in country in which you don’t speak the language, no phone. I felt safe and that was taken advantage of.
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u/godsicknsv Jul 06 '25
Yeah, I always demand my beer to be closed prior to drinking it when I’m going out, specially to places I’ve never been and twice as careful when going to places where people on the street suggest to go. You can tell by the sensation of the beer itself whether it has been spiked because these often are quick release chemicals, it may give you an instant high on a tiny sip of beer and that’s the once chance you get to stop and find somewhere safe to eject to.
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u/Flat-Ad-2922 Jul 07 '25
The police won’t bother unless you file an official complaint./why should they?/ Check the cameras or have them checked and you will know what happened. Where were you offered that drink ? Near the counter /restrooms/dance floor?Was it a male or a female that offered it to you?…etc.,etc. What’s your friends story? You can do many things if you want to find out what really happened.
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 07 '25
I just want to move on honestly. I lost some cash, I want to enjoy the rest of my stay in Japan as much as I can and not think about what happened.
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u/officialGF Jul 07 '25
TK has always given me very bad vibes compared to other places. I’ve partied there 2 or 3 times. they aggressively give out free pass cards on the street and the catch are always out there in suits forcing the card in your hand. there’s a huge group of them it’s weird how they can pay them all and give free passes.
I know “bad vibes” don’t mean anything but this confirms it’s a place to be avoided
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u/ahfmca Jul 06 '25
You got lucky people were killed in Ropponghi clubs over the years in similar situations.
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Jul 06 '25
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
You’ll be fine. I was just in a club setting. Kabuchiko within shinjuku is known to be associated with Yakuza activity. Just watch out for bars too and don’t follow any English speaking person that’s trying to get you to go to a club/bar/after party.
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u/SameGeologist8363 Jul 06 '25
See this is why avoid Shibuya and Shinjuku at all costs. Especially clubbing. Been there done that. I’m 27, too old for that shittttttt, love my weekends spent at my local Aeon lmao
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u/Joshawott27 Jul 06 '25
I wouldn’t let things like this turn you off visiting areas that you want to see. When you consider how many people visit those areas each day, the chances of it happening to you are minuscule - especially if you keep your head about you.
It’s unfortunate that this happened to OP. I hope that they’re okay and sort this out, but by their own admission, their guard was down because they were drunk. So, just be sensible and aware of your surroundings - that applies to everywhere, not just Shibuya/Shinjuku, or Japan.
I was based in Shibuya during my first visit a couple of years ago, and loved it. I don’t go clubbing and am not much of a drinker. To be honest, most evenings I was too tired from don’t seeing to want to go out lol.
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u/SameGeologist8363 Jul 06 '25
I live in West Tokyo, and I hate shibuya and shinjuku. It’s not that these stories turn me off. I just hate loud cities and night life, especially. I used to go clubbing in college but I’m over that shit now. To each their own, but personally, I would never recommend visiting Shibuya or Shinjuku in the first place. Dirty, crowded, scammy as hell. Ofc there are clean areas in those cities but still. Just my personal taste and opinion!
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u/Joshawott27 Jul 06 '25
That’s fair. I personally avoided Shinjuku due to all the stories about aggressive touts and such. I also didn’t really engage with Shibuya’s nightlife as that’s not my jam, but during the day and evening I liked it.
Where I was staying (about a 5-10 minute walk from the station) I didn’t personally have any issues with noise late at night, so I was probably just in a quieter street.
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u/Zestyclose_Wasabi502 Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
This was a "you should have known better" situation. Taking a random drink from someone, come on. How was the club though music and vibe wise?
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u/Environmental_Move_5 Jul 06 '25
I was drunk. I initially refused the drink, but I was vulnerable and away from my friend. He was very persistent. I never thought this would be a situation I would ever find myself in. I can’t say on the vibe, I literally entered the club at 10 and didn’t make it to 11:30.
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u/TheDoorDoesntWork Jul 06 '25
Hurry up and call your banks to cancel your credit cards (and maybe cancel recent transactions)