Do you think an American would get carded in Japan?

Question

I'm 18 and I am going to Japan in a few months. The drinking age over there is 20, will they card an American?

Answer 1

if u'r cute, u can get someone to buy u a drink....works for me.

Answer 2

I don't think you will be asked to show your ID card because western people look 10-15 year older than Japanese people.

I lived in Australia and one day we went to a bar when my 35 year old brother visited me in Australia. Even my old brother was asked to show his ID card. When he showed his ID card, the staff there was so surprised and apologized to him.

So you don't need to worry about age so much. You are unlikely to be checked your ID.

Answer 3

Yes. and a lot of bars won't even allow you past the front door.

Answer 4

I don't know why everyone is trying to make you so paranoid.

The truth of the matter is that they will not card you.

And even if they ask for ID, who cares?  Just say you don't have it and go somewhere else.  It's not like there's a shortage of bars in Tokyo or anything.

Also, it will be very difficult for you to even find a "no foreigners allowed" bar.  There aren't any neon signs lit up on the streets that say "all you dirty gaijin, get the h**l off our island."

Anyway, ignore all the bitter bull. The chances are very much in your favor that you will not get carded at the amass amount of bars and clubs that will be at your disposal.

Answer 5

Absolutely not.  First came here when I was 18 (Tokyo) and went to izakayas, bars, and clubs and was never asked nor have I ever seen or heard of anyone being asked.

Beer vending machines were on the street, so they aren't all that concerned about drinking ages.

Answer 6

Japan is pretty strict like that.. over there you just don't break the law but a lot of japanese students drink at parties and stuff, you just can't really go into a public place and drink...

Answer 7

First thing you should realize is there's a difference between a Japanese going into a bar and an American going into a bar. Better bars will have 'no gaijin' signs in the front. Which means you won't get past the front door.

If you look underage, you will likely be carded. They don't want any problems with non-Japanese causing problems.

Answer 8

Trust me , there are numerous cases when the Japanese police arrests and puts Americans in jail for even smaller crimes, like not carrying his ARC(alien registration card) while shopping.

Check out these links-they are all experiences of Americans actually arrested in Japan.

I'm not American by the way, and find the way of thinking"They can't do me anything because I'm American" quite arrogant.

http://www.debito.org/?p=1437

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php...

Answer 9

i doubt it, you can buy Ashai and othe beers, from a vending machine, but i would chance it, until you get to your hotel.

Answer 10

While you might not get asked in certain bars if the owner doesn't like

he may ask for identification , laws are strict here you don't want to take the chance of getting arrested here in Japan .Where foreigners are concerned we are like police magnets and they love hassling us .  

Answer 11

Things have changed a lot in the recent years.

10 years ago it was like 10% chance you'd get carded.  Now it's like 80%.  They're really cracking down, and bars, restaurants, and stores can get in a lot of trouble for selling to minors nowadays.