Japan has a popularity for being a secure place to journey to, however that doesn’t imply you shouldn’t hold your wits about you whereas visiting the nation’s high vacationer spots. One such spot the place try to be significantly cautious is Ueno Toshogu Shrine in Taito Ward, Tokyo, the place there have been latest experiences of faux monks scamming vacationers out of their cash.
▼ Ueno Toshogu Shrine is situated inside Ueno Park, one of many nation’s hottest hanami viewing spots throughout sakura season.
Fake monks have really been showing at this explicit shrine since way back to 2016, and in 2017, a Chinese nationwide posing as a faux monk was arrested in relation to the rip-off. With vacationers now again in more and more excessive numbers, the faux monks have returned to the shrine grounds as properly, and equally to earlier years, they’re promoting prayer beads and amulets, underneath the guise that the cash paid for them will act as a donation to assist restore the shrine.
One latest news reporter witnessed a vacationer being scammed out of their cash on the shrine, because the monk, wearing an orange gown, approached them and gave them the amulet. Thinking it to be a present, the vacationer thanked the monk, who then insisted they wanted to pay for it, with the worth being 10,000 yen.
After the transaction had been made, the reporter approached the vacationer to ask them what had simply occurred. The vacationer confirmed the reporter the amulet and defined that he’d purchased it from the monk. The reporter then knowledgeable them that it was a rip-off, and the vacationer appeared shocked, having totally believed the monk was related to the shrine.
According to the news report, there wasn’t only one faux monk on the shrine once they visited, however a number of, with two girls in navy blue robes additionally approaching vacationers as properly. Upon chatting with one of many girls, she advised the reporter she was from Thailand, however refused to reply any extra questions, as an alternative heading to the general public restroom at Ueno Station the place she later emerged sporting civilian garments.
The faux monks are believed to work in teams, with some performing as executioners who strategy the vacationers and others performing as lookouts. Ueno Toshogu Shrine says it’s conscious of the issue however it’s troublesome to file a injury report as they’re concentrating on overseas vacationers and never the shrine instantly. However, workers members are patrolling the grounds and asking folks to watch out.
So should you or anybody you understand is travelling to Japan, you’ll want to allow them to know concerning the rip-off so that they don’t fall sufferer to it. Monks or different workers at temples and shrines in Japan won’t ever strategy guests to promote merchandise, so if you’re approached by somebody it’s necessary to refuse the merchandise first to keep away from being in a state of affairs the place you are feeling obliged to pay for it. And it’s not simply at Ueno Toshogu Shrine that it’s a must to watch out — there have been experiences of faux monks at vacationers websites in Kyoto and different areas round Tokyo.
Source: FNN through Hachima Kiko
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