A Thai tourist describes a deeply traumatic and frightening experience she lived through during a recent visit to Tokyo. The woman was on vacation in Japan’s sprawling capital. Upon returning from a long day of exploring, she found an unexpected guest lurking under her hotel room bed.
In March, the young woman enthusiastically dove into Tokyo’s exciting atmosphere. She ended her action-packed day on a high note with a steaming bowl of ramen at one of DC’s popular restaurants. Content and tired from her adventures, she returned to her hotel room around 7:30 PM to unwind and relax. Unfortunately for her, waiting for her was anything but the quiet evening she had expected.
About 20 minutes after moving into her room, the woman started feeling like something was off. It was at that moment that she began to smell something odd, pungent, and sour seeping into the room. It smelled to her like “a rotten animal dipped in sugar.” Instinctive dread flooded through her.
That curiosity soon became horror when that woman looked in the direction of the dark space beneath her bed. To her surprise, she was greeted by two big, furry, deep-set eyes batting back at her. The terrifying image brought goosebumps to her arms as she furiously studied her assailant’s face. He appeared to be a young to middle-aged East Asian male. He was a little chubby, with a classic bowl cut. He wore all black.
In disbelief, the lady stood still for a moment. Then she moved away from the bed and picked up her cellphone. But eventually as panic took hold, including the fear of dying in her sleep, she knew she needed help. Two male tourists who were walking outside her room on their way to the beach saw she was in distress. They made a dash to ensure that she was likely unconscious.
These tourists were able to make an immediate difference, calming the unknown woman during this frightening time. Though they were with her, she was not able to release the trauma of that incident. For the rest of that night, I paced the halls at home, terrified telling friends and family. I told them the story of this downright creepy thing that just happened. Finding no reprieve in her hotel room, she got no sleep whatsoever that night.
The next morning, the woman was still rattled from the ordeal. She was determined to feel safe, so she resolved to book a different hotel for the remainder of her stay in Tokyo. She picked a different place to run. She wanted to escape where that terrifying night continued to follow her with memories and reminders.
This terrible incident highlights serious issues with hotel security and safety for guests. So let’s start with the hotel side—hotels, like most hospitality industries, take extreme precautions to protect guests. This event is a reminder that vulnerabilities are possible. It is important for travelers to stay alert and always take the time to speak up about safety concerns or suspicious behaviors to hotel staff.