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What started as a kimono day out ended with police for Indian tourists in Japan
A delay in returning rented kimonos led to police being called on Indian tourists in Japan
A delay in returning rented kimonos led to police being called on Indian tourists in Japan. Ashika Jain, a Mumbai-based content creator, detailed what happened to her in an Instagram video shared one day ago.
“Bhaisahaab Japan ki police literally hume pakadne aa gayi (Police in Japan came to arrest us),” she said in the clip. “And it all started because I decided to wear a kimono that day.”
The kimono row
Japan has several shops where tourists can rent a traditional kimono for a few hours, get dressed and walk around the neighbourhood. Jain and her group visited one such kimono rental place and got dressed in the traditional Japanese garment.
(Also read: Tourists cut line at Japan’s Hachiko statue, viral video draws anti-India comments)
The whole thing started normally enough, with the Mumbai-based content creator praising the variety of kimonos at the shop and the staff’s helpfulness in guiding them.
After getting dressed, the Indian tourists visited a few tourist destinations and took pictures. “We were just walking, posing, laughing non-stop,” she said.
However, trouble started because Jain and her fellow travellers were late in returning the rented kimonos. “We were supposed to return everything by 5 pm. Hum late ho gaye (We were late),” she said.
Police called on Indian tourists
Ashika Jain explained that the kimono shop had a late fee of 1100 yen ( ₹646) per person for every 30 minutes they were delayed. “We were five people and 37 minutes late,” she said.
Not keen on paying the entire late fee, which would have come to 2200 yen per person, Jain tried to negotiate. She asked the shop owners to consider only the first half hour. However, the language barrier complicated things, with the shop owner assuming they were refusing to pay.
“I was just asking them to consider only the first half an hour. But, because of the language barrier, she thought I am refusing to pay, and she called the police!” the tourist explained.
Japan Police officers reached the kimono rental shop and calmly listened to both sides. While the misunderstanding was resolved, Jain and her group of four others still had to pay the entire late fee.
“Police ne calmly suna… par discount zero diya,” she said. “But that’s Japan. Rules are strict,” Jain conceded.
Internet weighs in
The video drew mixed reactions online after it made its way from Instagram to X. Some people criticised the group of Indian tourists for refusing to pay promptly.
“Please don't do this really. If you're late in getting back respectfully pay the fines. Don't bargain please. The Police had to intervene and then too they're like we got no discount,” one X user wrote.
“Don't make travel tough for people who are respectful to norms,” another said.
Some said the incident would reflect badly on all Indians in the future. “Next time they would be wary lending to Indians, another incident and they'll probably stop lending to Indian tourists. This is how it starts,” an Instagram user commented under the video.
