Bad experience in Amerika-mura

Hi,
I stayed at the Hana hostel some years ago having a bit of a scary experience in Amerika-mura. Being in the kitchen late evening (the window was open with mosquito net) I could not help but hearing noise from the street outside.

Apparently at that time a woman and a man (not sure if both or just one was Japanese, but they were shouting cussing words at each other). The woman kept calling the man hentai, ecchi, etc.

Anyway. I know Japan is very safe compared to other countries, but are there any particulair areas in Japan best be avoided at evening hours?

I have heard of Roppongi and the area south of Tennoji/Shin-Sekai.

I am lucky I did not get back to the hostel late and risk being caught in the "fight" or whatever was going on.

Domestic arguments like the one you described can happen in any neighborhood at any time. To call it a "Bad experience in Amerika-mura" is a bit over-dramatic.

The higher the density of people (especially drunk people), the higher the chance that you encounter an argument between people on the streets. Entertainment districts of large cities on Friday and Saturday nights are your best bet. In 12 years of intensive travel through Japan, I encountered maybe two or three such scenes.

Any part of Osaka is surrounded by criminal environment, better not to visit there.
Former red-light districts such as Shinjuku(east), Mukojima(Sumida-ku), Ueno, Roppongi, Nishinari(Osaka), Akebono-cho(Yokohama) are still commercial districts for restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Those districts open until late or for 24 hrs. It's alright to visit day-time while those commercial industry is closed, but must be careful at night. They have different face day and night.

"Any part of Osaka is surrounded by criminal environment, better not to visit there"

That is so ridiculously over the top! Osaka is neither worse, nor better than Tokyo.

Kms,
I dont think it's up to you to decide if it was a bad experience or not. It did not feel good or safe at that time so it was not a good experience for me. I was not the only one to react to this so again, I dont think you have the right to sak its over dramatised.

I don't think that a women encountering true danger can keep cussing or call people hentai, ecchi, etc. Danger is more frightening than that.

Japan has its fair share of dangers toward women, even in the most decent residential areas. Just as you would in any country, keep awareness, know where the police is, keep your doors locked, and use some kind of self defence (without having to kill anybody).

I stayed at the Hana hostel before (it's a wonderful hostel in a great location, by the way!) and it didn't feel like a dangerous or seedy neighborhood at all. It was just a lively area where many people go to dine out and drink at night. If that makes you feel unsafe, you should book hostels that are located in quieter neighborhoods further from the heart of the city.

Btw, I don't think kms was challenging you saying that it was a bad experience, rather that he thought it was overdramatic to attribute it to an America-mura specific problem. As pointed out, these types of exchanges are pretty commonplace around every entertainment district, or pretty much anywhere else drunk people may be found. If they make you feel uncomfortable, then you can help avoid them by staying away from these areas especially later in the evenings. Hostels and super low budget lodgings tend to be located closer to loud areas, so choosing lodgings in quieter, residential districts or hotels may help too if that is in your budget.

You mention that this "bad experience" happened several years ago..
Why are you talking about it now? way after the fact?

"Any part of Osaka is surrounded by criminal environment"

Hehe. Not true, but this comment made me smile.