Hotel Sun Plus Yutaka

I stayed one night, April 21st to 22nd, 2025, before flying to Beijing, China. I booked through Agoda for myself, my husband, and our 13-year-old daughter, mainly because of the airport shuttle. The receptionist charged us an extra 1,500 Yen for it. We booked the last shuttle for 10:00 am, and the driver was waiting at 9:45. We were the only passengers and got to the airport in 10 minutes. At the airport, my daughter realised she’d left her backpack in the lobby. The driver and I struggled to communicate in Japanese, but Google Translate helped us explain. He asked for another 3,000 Yen to return to the hotel. My husband had two 1,000-Yen notes and one 10,000-Yen note. My husband took a shuttle to the hotel, but the driver told me to go with him instead. I trusted that Japan was safe and agreed. The ride took about 35 to 40 minutes, and he stopped at a 7-Eleven. I started worrying I’d miss my flight. At the hotel, I handed over the 10,000 Yen. The same receptionist from the day before was there with another woman, and they charged me 2,000 Yen. I got the bag and went back to the van to head to the airport. The driver then asked me for 1,000 yen. We’d agreed on a 3,000-yen fare at the airport, and I was already late, so I paid without hesitation. About 10 minutes later, while stopped at a red light, he made a U-turn and demanded another 5,000 yen. I realised he was trying to intimidate me and panicked, fearing for my safety. I refused to pay more, and he eventually drove me back to the hotel. On the way, he spoke to someone, who I believe was the hotel receptionist, and returned the 1,000 Yen before we arrived. Back at the hotel, the receptionist used a translator to say they should have charged me an extra 5,000 Yen but had only charged 2,000 Yen. I was frustrated about being late and said I wanted to take a taxi to the airport, even if it cost more. The receptionist seemed worried that I’d report what had happened, then offered to let me go back with the driver at no extra charge. During the drive, the driver asked for more money. I used sign language to tell him I’d pay later, and felt scared the whole way. Thankfully, the trip took only about 15 minutes. When we arrived, I jumped out and hurried inside so he couldn’t follow me. My husband and daughter could see something was wrong. My husband was at the information counter, trying to find someone to help him communicate with the hotel staff, who didn’t speak English. Based on what happened, I suspect the staff may have treated other women in a similar way. The driver wouldn’t let my husband ride with me and insisted I go alone, which says a lot about his character. He also wasted time and made me late for my flight. The hotel is clean and well located, but I felt unsafe there once they thought I had money. This experience changed how I see Japan, which I’d previously thought of as a safe place.