Go, but pay attention.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Tokyo at 76/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Japan's national picture overall (80/100 vs 81/100).
City page · part of Japan
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Tokyo report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Japan's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
24.1
Safety Index
75.9
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Japan's national page, with crime swapped for Tokyo's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Tokyo, specifically
- • Tokyo is probably one of the safest cities you will ever visit, and Japan in general is one of the safest countries in the world.
- • The most common crime is sexual harassment on crowded trains, pressed up against each other, hands wander.
- • Tokyo's main slum area is the San'ya (山谷) area, near Minami-Senju station, with large numbers of mostly male homeless people.
- • Small police stations, or kōban (交番), can be found every few blocks, and provide community policing.
Legal status (national law)
Legal since 1882 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B · 100V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 110 / ambulance: 119 / fire: 119
Tipping
Tipping is not a part of Japanese culture. Japanese people are uncomfortable with being tipped and are likely to be confused, amused or possibly even offended if tipped. The Japanese pride themselves on the service given to customers, and a further financial incentive is unnecessary. If you leave a tip in a restaurant, the staff will probably come running after you to return the money you 'forgot'
SIM / Data
Modern Japanese mobile phones (携帯電話 keitai denwa or just keitai) use the global standards for 4G and newer. In a nutshell:
Cash vs. Card
Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but some cafes, bars, and restaurants may still only accept cash and/or IC card. Visa, MasterCard and JCB are widely accepted. Discover and American Express are usable where JCB credit cards are accepted.
How this compares to Japan
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Tokyo at 76/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Japan's national picture overall (80/100 vs 81/100).
See the full Japan page and all receipts →