this happened on the 3rd but idk i need to let this out because i’ve never experienced something like this in japan in 1 year of living here or even in my home country
i went to my first 初詣 ever on january 3rd, rented kimonos with my two friends and had an amazing day overall 🙂 took the train back to Ikebukuro because i transfer to the seibu-ikebukuro line.
i’m walking towards my line, there were still quite a lot of people around and it was around 8:30pm so not too late. this 40-something y/o Japanese man walks towards me waving hi all smiley and i don’t know him so i just ignore him (also ikebukuro station has many nanpa dudes after a certain time so i assumed he was one). i physically stepped away from him like just a side step to avoid him, he uses the hook of his umbrella to grab my bag’s handles and pull me towards me – he had walked past me at this point so he pulled me back and i almost fell. i’m just ??? so i pulled my bag back, yelled ねえー やめてよ pretty loud and angrily and got away, didn’t even look back after that and walked away pissed and scared bc all of it was so sudden??
he was smirking the whole time and although people watched the whole scene no one even helped and actually everyone decided to look at me like i was a freak for defending myself. obviously yelling anywhere attracts attention, especially so here, but they didn’t give two shits about this dude almost assaulting a random girl
i haven’t gone to the police or anything bc i just wanted to go home and was too shocked to think about anything else and honestly it’s not worth it now, but ever since this happened i’m scared of seeing him again.. an acquaintance told me he’s actually seen this dude with his umbrella at the station before, always carrying it as if he’s doing this to other women too.
i’ve had dudes trying to pick me up before but they have *never* done anything like this before. they always leave me alone if i ignore them.
just wanted to vent a little i guess but yeah i’m just sad that harassment is kind of like . normal here. if this stuff had happened in my home country either people would’ve checked on the victim or they would’ve jumped the guy