Job Discussion Forums

MattElz · Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 92 Location: New York, NY, USA

Is Ikebukuro and other areas with relatively cheaper areas in the NW really as "dangerous" as the Japanese say?

I visited an apt share there and it was quiet but seemed fine. Then again, I'm from NY.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

Ikebukuro is indeed dicely, but nearly as much as Ueno or Roppongi. The Japanese version of "dangerous" is not nearly the same as it is for yanks. The Bronx is about a 1,000 times more dangerous than Ikebukuro if that helps to put it into perspective.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

Ikebukuro is indeed dicely, but not nearly as much as Ueno or Roppongi. The Japanese version of "dangerous" is not the same as it is for yanks. The Bronx is about a 1,000 times more dangerous than Ikebukuro if that helps to put it into perspective.

Speed · Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 152 Location: Shikoku Land

Ikeburo dangerous? Not even. Been there a million times
and I never felt it to be "dangerous". My friend used to live
there and he never had anything bad to say about the place.

You've (OP) been there before I think your instincts are right.

When Japanese people tell you that a place is dangerous, I'd take it
with a grain of salt.

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

Ikebukuro is well known amongst the Tokyo populace as the most dangerous part of Tokyo. That being said, the most dangerous part of Tokyo is about as dangerous as the safest part of Los Angeles. So, LA's best is Tokyo's worst, meaning that I can walk through an alley in Ikebukuro at 3AM and not fear for my life.

Sherri · Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:28 pm Post subject:

Hi
I lived in Ikebukuro for over 10 years for some of those years as a single woman. It was my local station (West Exit). I liked living there because it is close to the shops. You can walk to all of the department stores, restaurants and drinking establishments in minutes. Taxi rides are cheap from central Tokyo. You don't have to worry about the last train home! There aren't many cheap supermarkets, but there are some great international ones like the Garden in Seibu Department Store. I lived near Rikkyo University so there were lots of smal "ethnic" restaurants. You can walk to Mejiro and cycle to Shinjuku in 15 minutes.

But, there are a lot of homeless men around, in the parks and the subway passages. The parks are unusable because of this now. It wasn't so 10 years ago. There is a lot of prostitution, women, men and everything inbetween, gambling, pawn shops, young men hanging around wearing purple and pink suits and lots of gold chains. It is not the cleanest place in Tokyo, but they have been making an effort to clean up portions of it. A man was stabbed in front of Sunshine a few years ago and people haven't forgotten that incident. There is some petty crime but I was never a target. Still I was not afraid to walk home by myself--though I lived in London for many years so in comparison I felt very safe. I have been followed a few times, propositioned many times in and around the station (they thought I was Russian).

I like the area. I think it has lots of personality and if you are single--that is not a family man with kids, I think it is a great place to live and TONS of fun.
Sherri

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

homersimpson wrote:

Ikebukuro is indeed dicely, but not nearly as much as Ueno or Roppongi. The Japanese version of "dangerous" is not the same as it is for yanks. The Bronx is about a 1,000 times more dangerous than Ikebukuro if that helps to put it into perspective.

The above is so true! Except for that maybe the Bonx is about a billion times more dangerous!
Ikebukuro is one of my favorite places in Japan to socialize. Many Japanese are friendly to gaijins there!

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

[quote="homersimpson"]

Quote:

Yeah, one time while waiting for some friends I had a guy pester me for about half an hour to employ the services of one of his numerous girls he had available. "You can have her for an hour. Take her anywhere." Sadly, his English was better than most Japanese folks and he chose to use it for pimping. Go figure.

That happened in Ikebukuro? I only ask because I've had guys try to pimp some ugly woman on me for 10,000 yen an hour in Shinjuku but never in Ikebukuro. However there is a street that prostitutes walk.

Funny about the Japanese guy. In Hawaii there are American mostly white women prostitute that speak excellent Japanese. I used to wonder why they didn't take up a more meaningful profession, while watching them walk down Waikiki street looking for Japanese men to prey upon!

fizayded · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 46 Location: Machida, Tokyo

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Rice Paddy Daddy · Joined: 11 Jul 2004 Posts: 425 Location: Japan

Ikebukaro - working class.

I love Ikebukaro.

Anyone tried the GIANT gyoza near the station - beside the little bookstore and across from the shoe shop?

I taught for 4 years at a high school in Ikebukaro - rough as schit but a great place to drink, people watch and eat.

I also taught for a year, part-time, at the Toyota headquarters there.

Ikebukaro's on the rough-side of things as far as Japan goes.

Comes down to perspective, I guess.

I lived on West Hasting Street in Vancouver for 2 months.
You wanna talk about rough - LOL!!

King Kong Bundy · Joined: 04 Oct 2004 Posts: 76

Yea I love Ikebukuro too! Great places to eat around the station and some really good bars to mingle! I have even spent the night out waiting for the first train. No problem!

A special thanks to Nismo for pointing out a typo!

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520