WARNING - Izakaya scam in Kudanshita

[Jani]

The place is called "Gen", mid-way between Kudanshita and Iidabashi stations on Meiji-dori, left hand side when walking from Kudanshita.

[hml]

If you know of any similar places, or if you've experienced similar scams in Japan, let me know. I'm writing an article about the phenomenon so feedback is appreciated.

Yeah. I thought the GaijinPot forums would be a really cool place. Turns out, it's a total scam.

Sorry to hear you got fleeced. And I know how it feels when there is something that needs saying, but you have a friend with you who doesn't like confrontations. I usually ask those friends to wait outside, if I can.

[hml]

Wow you've posted 26 000 times, are they all as useful as this one?

You've got pretty low standards for what is considered useful...

Thanks for the warning.

You could contact debito he might be interested in this aswell. Seeing as his site got so much visitors might be a good idea to send the article and let it publish on his site.

Why would debito be interested? There was no indication that he was singling out foreigners. I'm sure he takes advantage of people from all countries and walks of life.

So what you gonna do big man, refuse to pay? You ate and drank and they have the CCTV tape to prove it.

What's so hard to refuse? The sign says one thing, the owner says another. Do the math yourself, leave the money and walk out. If he doesn't give you a receipt, pay him nothing.

[BackDoor_Man]

A Japanese friend of mine came to visit Tokyo. He stayed at Grand Plaza hotel in Kudanshita where I met up with him. We walked up the road towards Iidabashi station, looking for a place to have a drink and came accross a decent looking Yakitori front. They have sake bottles, lanterns and nice old old lady welcoming you.

Once inside, though, I felt something was WRONG. It was 8.30 pm on Saturday, but we were the only customers. The place looked shoddy.

Right then and there you both should have turned around and walked out! That is what I would have done in that type of situation, not sat down, just turned around and walked out!

[Koenji]

I've lived in countries like Thailand and China before and there you expect these type of rip-off places to be around...But in Japan one tends to think and act differently.

When I first came to Japan, I was asked to hand over about 7,000 dollars for "key money" to the man who spend a couple of hours of his time to introduce me to the tiny apartment I was about to rent. I was also told the additional 2 months' of deposit would never be refunded, no matter how pristine I left the apartment, and would end up in the same man's pocket. Then when I needed a standard phone, I had to pay $1,000 to NTT Corp. to purchase a bond, which became a worthless piece of paper.

I learned from the get-go that rip offs are integral to Japanese society.

The difference with Thailand is the amounts: in the Land of Smiles, it's been in the dollars from my experience: in Japan it's been in the thousands of dollars. And in Japan, it's so institutionalized and ingrained that many scams aren't even recognized as scams. In Thailand, the con men are taxi drivers and disheveled characters on street corners. Here, they wear suits, bow a lot and are extremely polite. I can understand why you were so surprised.

I'm interested in reading your article. Do post a link.

[Chromedome]

That sounds pretty much like a regular yakitori price for Tokyo.
How about checking the prices first next time.
You weren't fleeced...

[cucashopboy]

That sounds pretty much like a regular yakitori price for Tokyo.
How about checking the prices first next time.
You weren't fleeced...

You obviously go to some very classy yakitori places! The place was a bit shoddy and they didn't eat or drink that much; they were fleeced!

[kurogane]

I would say they paid a normal upper level Yakitori price for some downmarket dive.

Annoying, but hardly a legal matter.

The thing about Yakitori places are that each item seems cheap, but everything is so small it adds up in quantity, unless you are careful. A more expensive place can easily run to 10,000 a head, especially if you are quaffing.

Since they paid 17,000 for 2, and might have expected to pay about 5,000 each almost anywhere, I wonder if the shop didn't gouge on the Sake prices. And perhaps even the draft beer.

It isn't even really bait and switch, because the cheap items that put bums in seats are compensated for by the higher hidden prices on things like drinks.

So yeah, a crap shop, but hardly a scam or fraud.

A fiver says the Japanese friend knew they had chosen the wrong place, but knew they weren't defrauded, in a legal sense.

Keep in mind Japanese consumer protection laws are delightfully clear on what constitues a fraud or a scam.

Hence the plastic display food.

[Esc]

my friend who is in a position of authority

my friend ordered sashimi they brough in some sort of boiled mussels instead.

Well, in Japanese style we didn't complain too much and ate the mussles.

Hahahahaha. Too funny!

[Pinkerton]

Right then and there you both should have turned around and walked out! That is what I would have done in that type of situation, not sat down, just turned around and walked out!

an empty places is not always a good marker here. some of my favorite places are empty at times i think they shouldn't. last night was a good example. i went to a chinese restaurant that I know and like a lot. i walked in with my group at 8pm and the place was empty. they didn't even have the air con on. sat on the top floor, was there for about an hour and half. not another person walked into that place. odd, but whatever. they gave us quite a few free off the menu items also. good deal!

[BackDoor_Man]

an empty places is not always a good marker here. some of my favorite places are empty at times i think they shouldn't. last night was a good example. i went to a chinese restaurant that I know and like a lot. i walked in with my group at 8pm and the place was empty. they didn't even have the air con on. sat on the top floor, was there for about an hour and half. not another person walked into that place. odd, but whatever. they gave us quite a few free off the menu items also. good deal!

I understand what you by this: "an empty places is not always a good marker here." but you added this" some of my favorite places are empty at times i think they shouldn't" and if I like the place I think the same way you do. But the OP said it was their first time and they did not know the place!

[kurogane]

You make a good point, but the old Japanese canard about empty meaning bad and a lineup outside meaning good is just as much crap, if not more.


They're sheep, we're not, unless we go native.

I agree with Pinkyfun.

Most of the best places I know are rarely the busiest.

Then again, I don't have Japanese or downmarket foreigner tastes.

And free Chinese food in Japan must be like the blessings of the lord himself visited from on high.

If anybody else could ruin it the way they do, the UN would be up in arms.

especially if there is some DECENT Sweet and Sour Pork in the mix.

I once found a place that served that without the gross glazed sugary sauce.

It went under in a year.

Sure it was good, but where's the gross glazed sugary sauce????

Just because we like them dosn't mean we have to stop laughing at their obvious lemminglike idiocies.

[Pinkerton]

I understand what you by this: "an empty places is not always a good marker here." but you added this" some of my favorite places are empty at times i think they shouldn't" and if I like the place I think the same way you do. But the OP said it was their first time and they did not know the place!

agree. but those places that are my favorite were unknown to me at one time.

[Pinkerton]

You make a good point, but the old Japanese canard about empty meaning bad and a lineup outside meaning good is just as much crap, if not more.

They're sheep, we're not, unless we go native.

I agree with Pinkyfun. Most of the best places I know are rarely the busiest.

Then again, I don't have Japanese or downmarket foreigner tastes.

And free Chinese food in Japan must be like the blessings of the lord himself visited from on high.

If anybody else could ruin it the way they do, the UN would be up in arms.

especially if there is some DECENT Sweet and Sour Pork in the mix.

I once found a place that served that without the gross glazed sugary sauce.

It went under in a year.

yeah, the whole thing about having people lined up outside is a crock of $hit. show me a place here that seats more than 5 people that has a line outside! there is tiny ramen joint down the road from me, always has people lined up outside it. went there once, thought it was sub-par. the place only sits about 8 people. the cocoichiban probably serves more people in half a day.

[kurogane]

Did you feel the love when I called you Pinkyfun???????????

But yeah..........

GF: Oh, look! They're lining up, it must be something good!

ME: It's a manga exhibition.

GF: Eeeewwwwwwwwwwww. Gross.

ad infinitum



PS you good, babe?

[Pinkerton]

Did you feel the love when I called you Pinkyfun???????????

But yeah..........

do you mean an erection?

[kurogane]

do you mean an erection?

no, you lech.

More like a mildly repulsive squishy feeling..............

[Pinkerton]

no, you lech.

More like a mildly repulsive squishy feeling..............

i have that feeling at all times...