i’m thinking about doing an exchange student program in Japan but i’m a lonely person so probably i’ll be lonely in Japan too. so is it safe to live in Japan as a woman alone? what’s your recommendations? i heard some creepy stories but want to hear your opinions !!
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**is living alone in Japan, Tokyo safe?**
i’m thinking about doing an exchange student program in Japan but i’m a lonely person so probably i’ll be lonely in Japan too. so is it safe to live in Japan as a woman alone? what’s your recommendations? i heard some creepy stories but want to hear your opinions !!
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Japan is one of the safest countries in the world.
I’ve lived alone as a foreign woman in Tokyo and it was the safest I’ve ever felt. I’m from the US and I’ve lived in big cities there.
Obviously still use common sense— lock your doors, don’t let strange people into your apartment, don’t walk home super drunk alone at night, etc.
The only sort of weird thing I did differently was dry my underwear/bras with a kind of privacy towel around it so it didn’t advertise that I was a woman living alone or encourage underwear thieves. Not sure if it was truly necessary, but my friends told me to do it, haha.
ETA: yes, you will be lonely sometimes. But that’s part of being an adult and doing solo things! Try to come up with plans for what you’ll do when you get lonely, and definitely go explore by yourself! Take yourself on trips, go to fun cafes, etc.
Yes, it’s very safe. I’ve been here 8 years (14 in Japan) and never felt remotely in danger. My area doesn’t have a great reputation (sleazy bars), but it’s always busy so there are plenty of eyes around to deter overt crime. I have heard of people getting fleeced in the sleazy bars/ sex clubs, but there is an easy way to avoid that – don’t go in!
Japan is so safe in terms of crime that people here talk about 平和ボケ (heiwa boke) – the idea that Japan’s peace and safety make people blind to crime or conflict in other contexts. The most common consequence of this is that many Japanese travellers have a naive attitude towards petty crime. It’s pretty common for students to return from study abroad with some tale of losing their phone or wallet to a pickpocket, or losing a lot of money on a street game, and every time I think “how can you not know better?” And then I remember that I know better because I’ve experienced these things growing up (and even then, been pickpocketed a couple of times – not in Japan!)
Long story short, with a pretty standard level of street savvy outside Japan, chances are you’ll be fine in Japan.
As for loneliness, it is the expat condition, and Tokyo is a big anonymous place. Meetup is good for hiking/ coffee/ art/ coding/ whatever it is you like to do.
Tokyo is the only place in the world where I would walk around naked with $100 bills taped to me and not worry about a thing. I wouldnt do that, but if I had to, I would do it there. In the 2 years I spent in Japan the ONLY time I really thought about safety was when I was driving…like WTF does that sign say and the worst, holy shit am I on the correct side of the road?
I feel completely safe in Japan as a young woman. I am comfortable walking around at night and using headphones here in cities or in the inaka. Japanese society operates collectively rather than individually for the most part, so they do what is best for society as a whole (think mask-wearing). It sounds a little random to bring up but, as a result, people can leave their computers or purses on tables at cafes here to use the bathroom without worrying about them being stolen. That level of safety and security is something I’ve never experienced outside of Japan.
I lived on my own in Tsuchiura Ibaraki (totally fine and was 20 min walk from the station, went out alone a lot). I also lived on my own in Tokyo for 4 years before moving in with my husband (then boyfriend). Many times, I stayed out until last train. Never had a problem. I’ve only had one creepy experience but that was when my husband and I lived together.