Japanese culture respects those who take initiative to make a sale. For the most part, touts are tolerated.
Occasionally, there's some effort to discourage touts but it's rare.
Touts generally promise big discounts. It's sometime possible to negotiate prices with a tout. Others are just there to hand out flyers, free tissue paper (with ads inserted) or free samples. You can tell a great deal about a Tokyo neighborhood from its touts.
In Ginza fashionable ladies softly hand out cosmetic samples and coupons.
In Akihabara women dressed as geek girls and maids hand out flyers.
The Harajuku area is popular amongst trend setting teenagers. Marketing organizations and advertisers send people out to survey Harajuku shoppers.
Touts in Kabukicho and Roppongi are persistent and aggressive. Many locals avoid these neighbourhoods — just because of all the touts. Never go anywhere with touts promising misadventure in Shinjuku and Roppongi.
Shinjuku touts for restaurants and izakaya are generally okay. Especially those who are clearly staff of the restaurant.
Shibuya touts promote izakaya, karaoke and restaurants. It's often possible to get a good discount from these guys. However, keep in mind that popular restaurants don't need touts. Restaurants that send out armies of touts often have low ratings.
Promotional teams often choose Shibuya to hand out free samples.
Touts in Kichijoji are laid back and low pressure.
Touts in Shimokitazawa are even more laid back.
It's not just small shops and restaurants that send out touts. Some of Japan's largest companies send them out in numbers.
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