Pulled over and body searched by cops - is this common?

Question

So I arrived in Tokyo yesterday - my virgin trip and i was so excited. It was around 9pm and I was walking to Nichome to grab a drink in one of the gay bars (Eagle Bar, great reviews on google by the way) when two cops came out of their car and pulled me over. they then did a body search and went through all my possessions. It was to the extent of looking at each of my duty-free cigarettes, and each single card slot of my wallet. I was perplexed but still coorporative, until one of them decided to squeeze my sneakered-feet to feel if there's anything inside.

I pulled my feet away and told him that was very rude (bearing in mind they were asking for permission each time they want to open anything of mine, i.e. wallet/pouches etc). To which they apologised. I then asked if everything is fine and they basically told me I was free to go. By then it took around 20 minutes, on a shinjuku street.

So i want to know if this has happened to you guys? A little about me - I'm singaporean chinese, 35, travelling alone, no visible tattoos BUT with silver hair (which i did in bangkok two weeks ago, YAY BKK!). I was wondering if the hair could be the issue but it seems rather common here.

Anyway i ended up not going to the bar, and went back to my hotel with a bottle of combini whiskey and cried (you know, very sheltered Singaporean life).

So, so far Tokyo has been very strange, hope everyone else is having a great time though, and the Sukuras better start blooming soon dammit!

janinekress · Answer

tbh this sounds like a classic "gaijin spot check" but the shoe thing is weird even by tokyo standards. i've been stopped before near kabukicho and they just patted my jacket pockets and waved me on, never had anyone go for my feet.

your silver hair probably didn't help but honestly it's more about the area and time. shinjuku at 9pm near nichome is prime patrol territory, they're looking for drugs and drunk tourists. the fact they asked permission each time is actually pretty standard japanese politeness even during a search.

don't let one weird night sour you on tokyo. eagle bar is fine but if you want a more chill spot try Arty Farty in nichome, it's bigger and the crowd is friendlier. also the convenience store whiskey cry is a rite of passage honestly, you're doing fine

carsta · Answer

Yeah, this happens more often than tourists expect. The Tokyo cops do random stops and searches, especially in areas like Shinjuku or Shibuya at night, and they tend to target people who look foreign or stand out. Silver hair might have caught their eye, but honestly it could have just been your timing and location near Nichome, which is a known nightlife spot.

The whole foot-squeezing thing is a bit over the top though. They usually pat down pockets and bags, but checking inside shoes is less common. You handled it fine by being cooperative but setting a boundary when it got weird.

Don't let it ruin your trip. Nichome is worth a visit, Eagle Bar is solid but small, try Dragonmen or Aisotope Lounge if you want a friendlier vibe. The sakura should start popping in a week or two depending on the weather.

helene · Answer

The shoe squeeze is unusual even for Tokyo. I've been stopped twice in ten years and they just did a quick pat-down and checked my bag, never got that thorough. Might have been a younger officer being overzealous or someone fresh out of training.

The silver hair definitely made you stand out. Japanese police profiles tend to flag anyone who doesn't look like a salaryman, and unusual hair color plus being in Shinjuku at night is enough. Singaporean Chinese probably didn't register to them as anything special, they likely just saw "foreign-looking person in nightlife area."

Don't let this wreck your trip. Nichome is actually one of the safest gay districts in the world, and the bars are used to seeing rattled tourists. Campy Bar on the second floor of the building next to Eagle is quieter and the bartender speaks English, good place to decompress. The sakura should be out in about ten days if the weather holds.

Neu aus Tokyo