Touts outside of Roppongi Station

Hi, One of the things that greatly deterred me from going to Roppongi, let alone its station, are those mainly Nigerian touts that pester people, sometimes forcefully, especially foreigners. Within the end of the year, I plan to go to the Roppongi area to mainly dine at the restaurants such as Ryugin & Sushi Saito that will be moving there and going to places such as Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown. My question is: are the touts hanging right outside of the exits of Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro)? Also, if I take certain exits, can I get directly to the mentioned places from 6pm-10pm without running into them?

I would like to mention that I'm Asian as well for the sole purpose of asking if these touts will bother anyone Japanese/Asian looking as it's quite unfortunate that non-Asian foreigners are frequently targeted by these touts. Also, tips for those of non-Asian descent getting around Roppongi are appreciated as reference for other individuals who want to avoid them. Thanks!

I went many times and I never saw them getting forceful. You can tell them off easily. If they talk to me I just wave my hand and tell them sorry I am not interested.
Roppongi Station has various exits but I think the place is too busy to stop anyone. If someone tries to approach you, it will halppwn on the street and if you are attentive, you see them from far. I saw them only in certain streets (where some hostess clubs are) and if you walk around during daylight most of them are not even around to pester you.
Don't be afraid and don't let rumours stop you from doing what you would like to do.
But if you really are afraid go in broad daylight.
Should someone pester you decline polite but loud enough; if you are careful and if it is possible to avoid those people you should do it and everything should be fine.

I'm a Japanese-looking Japanese (female) resident and I've never had a problem concerning them.

The goldren rule always is to ignore them, whether they are Nigerian or Japanese or touts or salesmen. If you talk to them, they'll try to talk back. Just keep walking straight, or like the other poster said, giving a very quick wave is the most you'd want to do.

If you're meeting a friend, set the meeting place indoors such as a book shop or cafe. Don't stand outdoors looking like you have nothing to do.

If you do happen to encounter any probkems, approach the nearest "koban" police booth. There's a big one right in front of Roppongi station, facing the big Roppongi crossing.

You don't have to talk to the police if you don't want to. Just pretending to approach the police, or just standing close to a police(wo)man will help get rid of any person who is bugging you. I've done this several times, in Japan as well as other countries around the world.

I don't think this is a major problem in Roppongi anymore. The local government have restricted touting. I don't know the exact details, but there are signs around to say that it's illegal for touts to walk alongside passersby and invite them to visit their bar etc. I go to Roppongi most weeks, and I haven't gotten hassled by touts there since moving to Tokyo a year ago, although I never hang around outside, and always walk straight to the clubs. In my experience, walking around Roppongi is much less problematic than walking through Kabukicho, although that is likely to improve too as Shinjuku ward recently made street solicitation illegal, along with Toshima ward.

Just tell them you have no money. That shits them up.
They only get forceful on the streets outside their clubs with (very) drunk and. Vulnerable people

That reminds me. EVERY come-on guy in France waved good-by whenever I said, "Do you speak English?" I wonder if it works in Tokyo. I mean, not asking Nigerians if they speak English or not, but maybe talking to them in a language completely foreign to them might work???

To actually answer your questions - yes, you can get to Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills directly from the subway, and they certainly don't allow touts to harass people on their property.

The path to Ryugin from the subway is generally tout-free if you take the nearest exits (2 or 4b). Sushi Saito is now located in Ark Hills South Tower, which is directly accessible from the Roppongi 1-chome subway station on the Namboku line, so you don't need to go near Roppongi station at all.

Thanks for all of your help!

I can start to go there without being nervous and have a stress free meal.

the younger you are the more likely they are to bother you.

also if you look like you have money (they can tell, they're quite good at it) they'll bother you.

as others mentioned, just walk straight and ignore them.

i wear earphones all the time and so they usually don't even bother talking to me because of that, but the moment i walk down a street like takeshita doori without them, they're all over me

one thing though - the law regarding touts changed last year and it is now much more strict. they are not allowed to touch you anymore and they need to leave you alone if you tell them to go away. if they don't, they can be arrested and their shop can be fined.

this was a new law created last year to deal with the problematic nigerians in harajuku, kabukicho and roppongi.