Just saw in a UK newspaper that the golden bath tub in Hotel Mikazuki (of the theme park size rotenburo fame - I can even sing the Hotel theme tune Yutari, tapuri, nonbiri, tabi yuke ba mikazuki, Hotel Mikazukiiiii) has been stolen! Only a year and a half ago I was speaking to a colleague of mine who had grown up in the US about how bizarre and wonderful it was that Japan is such a safe place that it allowed for such surreal comercial features as the golden bath tub (all gold apparently). Alas, I am disappointed to find out that is no longer the case...

The room that contained the bath tub was closed with the doors chained (man, they use chains to lock bicycles in the UK and they're made of steel!).

Anyone else been surprised or disappointed by any crimes that may have shattered your idea of a safe Japan?



As an aside - For those of you who remember a more 'peaceful' time; the Yodobashi Commercial from 1986 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUUaZGSFrb8).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6704197.stm

I think this was probably a yakuza job. Japan's still a relatively safe place.

Despite the recent upsurge in the mass media on crime, I still think Japan is a safer place than most other places. Its not to let one's guard down, and taking the same preventions you would in any other place in the world.

Though, I worry more about getting trapped in an earthquake than say getting mugged.

The 3oku yen robbery happened 50+ years ago (statute of limitations recently passed). Gangsters have been engaged in this kind of heist since time began. I don't think this has any impact on the feeling of safety that I experience in my daily life in Tokyo.

OOPS - Correcting my facts here: The 3 oku yen (300 million yen) incident was in 1968. Statute of limitations expired in 1975. The perpetrator has been free of any civil liability since 1988.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_million_yen_robbery

My point is, though, that this kind of high profile, big value crime has always existed. But it doesn't make the streets unsafe for ordinary people walking around with a few hundred dollars in their pockets.

I also feel relatively safe in Japan compared to a most places, including my hometown. That said, there have been some horrific crimes committed in Japan lately that have attracted media attention - the teenager who decapitated his mother then went to a karaoke bar with friends; the brother who killed his sister and dismembered her body and kept in his room while their parents were on vacation - because she bothered him while he was studying.

As an aside - For those of you who remember a more 'peaceful' time; the Yodobashi Commercial from 1986 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUUaZGSFrb8).

Thanks, I really did not need to see that. Besides, I favor Bikku Bikku Bikku Kamera!

Unlike any other big city in the world, I still feel safe to walk around at all hours in Tokyo.

For me it was less the sense of personal security but an illusion was cracked slightly - Some idiots sit down and decide to install a golden bath to increase sales, it works, 10,000 people bathe in it (CORRECTION: 100,000 people (http://www.mikazuki.co.jp/katuura/onsen/ougon.html)), no one ever seemed to worry about it going walkies (or being smelted down!), they lock the door with chains. You can't install cameras or guards as that probably would put off some customers. We see the commercial of the hotel with the golden bath on TV and we are content that Japan is still, in some aspects, like Disney Land. A land of dreams.

Oh well I guess it gives us hope that it took about 2-3? years for someone to get around to nabbing it. A friend of mine had his bicycle stolen in London three hours after he bought it. I think he used chains too...


Realistically speaking, my wife and I both think it was intended to be stolen from the beginning by one of the directors, it's a great way to launder money! Come on, you've all seen the Wednesday detective dramas on TV! (I am sure some of the board members' wives will have have had their fillings replaced with gold recently, and what a fab investment too. Incidently when my grandma used to do a lot jewellery she used to take her failed pieces to the dentist when she needed fillings put in.)

I wasn't being dead serious - I even 'sang' the Hotel Mikazuki song! Surely that must have been a clue.

I wonder what the market for hot golden bathtubs is! Do you suppose that somewhere there is an moderately rich collector who will hide it away from view, just for the joy of bathing in a golden tub? It wouldn't be an incredibly rich collector, that person could afford to make their own!

Anyone can cut a padlock and a chain, but how on earth did one go out with a golden bathtub weighing 175lbs, out of the 10th floor of a building, without anyone ever noticing. Movie of the week!

Can't say I've ever heard of the Hotel Mikazuki, but it's giving me some serious flashbacks to the "heart-shaped love tubs" at "beautiful Mount Airy Lodge". :eek:

"We're your host with the most in the Poconos..."

Thanks, I really did not need to see that. Besides, I favor Bikku Bikku Bikku Kamera!
Yodobashi camera vs Bic Camera is something of a compelling issue for me - trivial I know, it's like Burger King/McDonalds, Pepsi/Coca Cola...
I am an ardent fan (I say with a little embarassment as I acknowledge the depth of my affection) of Yodobashi Camera. It's the last monument to Yodobashi - the area's name ever since the Edo period, and possibly earlier, until it was engulfed by Shinjuku. I could write an essay on the pros and cons but really it's more to do, I think, with growing up with it, my first stereo, camera, digital camera, all the gadgets that accompany adulthood - I lost my gadget and electronic equipment virginity there. It is a very special and sacred place for me. If it were to disappear I would cry real tears of grief.

If you or any one else could indulge me and tell me how Bic Camera seduced you I would be most grateful. I'm genuinely curious. What's the appeal?

Anyone can cut a padlock and a chain, but how on earth did one go out with a golden bathtub weighing 175lbs, out of the 10th floor of a building, without anyone ever noticing. Movie of the week!

It's 18ct gold. A blow torch would make light work of it - like a knife through butter. Once it's in small pieces it's good to go. A heavy duty mat would have made sure no trace of the carve up operation was left on the floor.

The hotel got it's money worth out of the thing as a publicity prop when it was installed. They included it in loads of adverts and it became a talking point for thousands. (Like what a rubbish bath it would have made, all that heat conducted away....)

The yakuza got their pay off when they took it.

The hotel get most of the money back from insurance.

The hotel gets tons of international press with the heist.

Smart move all around it seems.


There might even be more money down the line... the Oceans XX franchise is on thin enough ground as it is.

(MrLapLap is currently on the other computer designing his 'I ha-to Yodobashi Kamera' t-shirt.... I'm considering another design with a Spanish Cow: Vaca )

Yodobashi camera vs Bic Camera is something of a compelling issue for me - trivial I know, it's like Burger King/McDonalds, Pepsi/Coca Cola...
I am an ardent fan (I say with a little embarassment as I acknowledge the depth of my affection) of Yodobashi Camera. It's the last monument to Yodobashi - the area's name ever since the Edo period, and possibly earlier, until it was engulfed by Shinjuku. I could write an essay on the pros and cons but really it's more to do, I think, with growing up with it, my first stereo, camera, digital camera, all the gadgets that accompany adulthood - I lost my gadget and electronic equipment virginity there. It is a very special and sacred place for me. If it were to disappear I would cry real tears of grief.

If you or any one else could indulge me and tell me how Bic Camera seduced you I would be most grateful. I'm genuinely curious. What's the appeal?

I too have fond memories of Yodobashi Camera. On my first trips to Japan, that was a shrine of pilgrimage. I bought lots of Nikon equipment there (the cameras themselves I bought in HK, it was cheaper then), and they pretty much stocked everything you needed.

My 'falling out' from Yodobashi has come from the simple fact that I really don't want to go to Shinjuku unless I have to, and that Bikku opened a huge outlet in the former Sogo in Yurakucho, walking distance from my office.

My 'falling out' from Yodobashi has come from the simple fact that I really don't want to go to Shinjuku unless I have to, and that Bikku opened a huge outlet in the former Sogo in Yurakucho, walking distance from my office.
Ahh, that's eased my mind.

Thank you very much for the reply!

I don't have any preference one way or the other as far as Bic vs. Yodobashi - whichever was closest to where I lived was the one I chose - Bic when I lived in Shibuya, Yodobashi when I lived in Atsugi.

As far as feeling safe in Japan, I've never even felt remotely unsafe. It could be because I'm a big gaijin and big gaijin tend not to get bothered, but I think it's more a result of Japan just being safe. I routinely rode my bike and walked through neighborhoods that would give me pause in a lot of cities when I lived in Tokyo without even the slightest fear of anything happening to me (even with over $1000 worth of camera equipment on me). Sure, there are some Yakuza and/or Bozozoku issues, but on the whole I have never felt safer anywhere in the world than I have when I lived in/visited the Kanto area.

Anyone else been surprised or disappointed by any crimes that may have shattered your idea of a safe Japan?
Soon after I moved here (waaaay back in 1980), a burglar broke into my 1F apartment (precision break in one of the windows) and rifled the place. Never ever had this kind of thing happen in the States.

About the same time I had also been bothered by the occasional theft of clothing off the laundry line, but I (together with my trusty imitation samurai sword) "took care of the problem" one night. :eek:

As an aside - For those of you who remember a more 'peaceful' time; the Yodobashi Commercial from 1986 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUUaZGSFrb8).
Yes, even today, I still know this ditty by heart. Had even been complimented by native Japanese on my correct "Japanese-English" pronunciation of "ka-me-ra." :)

If you or any one else could indulge me and tell me how Bic Camera seduced you I would be most grateful. I'm genuinely curious. What's the appeal?
In my case, I've always transited through Ikebukuro (Yes, I admit it, I'm an Ikebukuroite :o ). In Ikebukuro, BIC is king.

The horrific crimes reported lately are not the types of street crimes that make tourists afraid to venture outside their hotels. They seem to be confined to individual families or neighborhoods.

(My personal theory is that too many kids are being brought up with a crazy-making combination of pressure ["You must devote yourself to study and self-improvement, lest you shame the family"], pampering [mothers routinely doing things for teenage and adult children that the younger people are capable of doing for themselves], social isolation [too much TV and video games, not enough unstructured play outside], and lack of traditional training in manners and morals. As a result, the kids grow up both self-centered and incompetent in the skills of everyday life, and if, on top of it, they fail in school, they're filled with rage.)

The horrific crimes reported lately are not the types of street crimes that make tourists afraid to venture outside their hotels. They seem to be confined to individual families or neighborhoods.

(My personal theory is that too many kids are being brought up with a crazy-making combination of pressure ["You must devote yourself to study and self-improvement, lest you shame the family"], pampering [mothers routinely doing things for teenage and adult children that the younger people are capable of doing for themselves], social isolation [too much TV and video games, not enough unstructured play outside], and lack of traditional training in manners and morals. As a result, the kids grow up both self-centered and incompetent in the skills of everyday life, and if, on top of it, they fail in school, they're filled with rage.)


Since most of the heavy hitters have weighed in ;) I thought it might now be safe to do so too. Being the lightweight inaka boy that I am.

As far as I am concerned Japan lost it's virginity long ago. I think it was sometime after the bubble burst and young OL's stopped fan dancing at Juliana's/Valle Farre in Tokyo.

The innocence is gone, evaporated! Commerce out in the hinterlands has evaporated. Many if not all of the young have moved to the larger cities. But even in a city like Fukuoka, you can still walk in the main shopping district during the weekdays and there is no-one around shopping. Salaries for employees have continued to decrease year on year, in fact the public servants in my area were recently asked to take pay cuts and have longer work days (cutting break times and lunch). I foresee a time when no one will live out here. The elderly continue to weigh heavily on the inaka population demographic. Close to 40% are over the age of 65 around my parts........who will pay for their care when all the young have moved away?

From my perspective , the young only want one thing, and it should be shrink wrapped and served on a silver platter.....! The young I see today are totally and completely maladjusted. I recently had a conversation with 2 young men about drugs. Both seemed convinced that sniffing glue was "not" a kin to taking drugs.

Do I feel less safe now in Japan than I did before? Perhaps, only slightly......sometimes when I want to walk somewhere and my S.O. gives me a taxi ticket I have to stop and think why? The reason given lately that it is not safe for me to walk at night:confused: ! The homeless are on the increase, I don't find them particularly aggressive but they do seem to bother/jolt a certain segment of the population that lives in the fantasy of what Japan used to be like........

My 'falling out' from Yodobashi has come from the simple fact that I really don't want to go to Shinjuku unless I have to, and that Bikku opened a huge outlet in the former Sogo in Yurakucho, walking distance from my office.
Psst -- there's a ginormous new Yodobashi in Akihabara (http://www.yodobashi-akiba.com/), which seems to pack in almost as much as all the Shinjuku shops combined, without the Shinjuku hassle of having to figure out if you should be looking in the Digital-Kan or the Multimedia-Kan or the Camera-kan or...

the Shinjuku hassle of having to figure out if you should be looking in the Digital-Kan or the Multimedia-Kan or the Camera-kan or...

Bic Camera in Shinjuku HALC is all under one roof too - It used to be the biggest (until the huge Akiba Yodobashi opened). I live between Shinjuku and Akiba and somehow I find myself in Bic Camera more often than Yodobashi. It probably has something to do with the Thai diner under Lumine...

It probably has something to do with the Thai diner under Lumine...

Did you ever visit the fiery Thai eatery in the underground passageway between Seibu Shinjuku eki and Kabukicho? Don't know if it has survived to date.

On the subject: I've never ever experienced anything resembling a dangerous situation in Tokyo but gotten into a physical fight in a bar, seen local youth running from the police on their bikes for fun a lot of times and many other things in the Wild West, also known as Kyoto.

Kyoto=田舎

Being inaka - the nightmare of any true Kyotoite. ;)

Being inaka - the nightmare of any true Kyotoite. ;)
ROR:p :D

[QUOTE=mosburger;7836712]

On the subject: I've never ever experienced anything resembling a dangerous situation in Tokyo but gotten into a physical fight in a bar,

Was she from Kyoto?

Psst -- there's a ginormous new Yodobashi in Akihabara (http://www.yodobashi-akiba.com/), which seems to pack in almost as much as all the Shinjuku shops combined, without the Shinjuku hassle of having to figure out if you should be looking in the Digital-Kan or the Multimedia-Kan or the Camera-kan or...

Last trip, I needed a new strap with a clip for my mobile, as the old one had died. I figured Yodobashi had them but couldn't find them, despite wandering through the digital-kan, the multimedia-kan, the camera-kan, the watch-kan, etc etc, so I finally asked a staff member (via sign language since I don't speak Japanese). They pointed me to a little store I hadn't seen before.

Yes, you guessed it, Yodobashi at Shinjuku has another store that is pretty much ENTIRELY a mobile-phone-strap-kan!

[QUOTE=mosburger;7836712]

On the subject: I've never ever experienced anything resembling a dangerous situation in Tokyo but gotten into a physical fight in a bar,

Was she from Kyoto?

Hmmm, a Japanese guy pickpocketing the wallet of a Japanese friend. His girlfriend who was present might have been.

Hmmm, a Japanese guy pickpocketing the wallet of a Japanese friend.
Reminds of the time I read this article in the Tokyo Journal. A guy pickpocketed the wallet of this other guy, only to find a picture of his wife in the guy's wallet. Went to the authorities to complain, and was promptly arrested!

I once broke up a fight between a Japanese guy and his GF outside of an izakaya in Ebisu (basically by physically standing between them). When I mentioned it to my Japanese friends the next day, they uniformly volunteered the recommendation that I should have stayed out of it. Cultural differences!

Cultural differences!

"Fu-fu kenka wa inu mo kuwanu."
Even a dog won't eat a domestic dispute.

Are you still standing between them? If not, then I guess they're probably fighting again. The statistics for women stuck in violent relationships are shocking - and unfortunately there's nothing culturally unique about Japan in that respect.

Aren't we supposed to be talking at length about how this country is coming apart at the seams?

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20070603a1.html

They are still trying to formulate a policy for something that has already taken place(out here anyway).

IME, having survived NYC in the 70s, Wash. D.C. in the 80s and LA in the 90s, Tokyo is a walk in the park.

Once, late at night while walking home, I saw a car pull up, like 3 guys jump out, proceed to beat up and throw some guy into the car, then speed off, as I was standing like 10 feet away. Never saw anything like that back home. Must be because of those rough Osaka people.

Must be because of those rough Osaka people.

One of the most vicious little fights I ever saw was in Osaka... I was standing in a train near an old guy (70s) and young guy (20s) who were exchanging words. I couldn't follow the argument and couldn't tell if they knew each other or were strangers...

Suddenly, the old guy swings his collapsible umbrella right at the face of the young guy. Smack! It looked like a good swing - first blood to the old guy. The young guy is in shock - first reaction is to cover his face - but when his wits return he strikes the old guy in the chest and then tries for a punch at the face. It turns into a grapple...

My reaction? I'm backing away to the other end of the car.

Fortunately some bolder souls than me stepped in and hauled the scrappers apart. And at the next station they threw them out - Bananas style (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-aXgk7-HRy8). As the train pulled away, the old guy started attacking again. To this day, I am wondering why someone with a 50-year age disadvantage would do such a thing. Perhaps he knew that the 20-something year old was in a lose-lose situation. Who would sympathise with a young man who beat up an old man... ?

And at the next station they threw them out - Bananas style (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-aXgk7-HRy8).

God, is that a young Sly Stallone?

This makes me feel older than that night when I beat up some young punk on a platform in Osaka.....

... that night when I beat up some young punk on a platform in Osaka.....I wanna party with you! May we can get this young lady (http://aikidude.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/japanese-miss-universe-2007-riyo-mori-%E7%90%86%E4%B8%96%E6%A3%AE/) to join us!

Maybe this black bear can volunteer his samurai swords.. ;) Oh wait, I didn't know that Japan banned swords.. during the Meiji era! :P

Sanosuke!