[Firebird]

About the theft thing:
Everybody said there isnt, but i got my wallet stolen in Ameyoko. So i was just unlucky to find the few percent of Japanese who actually steel. But when i called the embassy they told me that most times the things wich are lost come back (as everyone else told me), so i guess it is pretty safe. The thing wich sucked most was that the store even had videocameras but they refused to have a look as long as there is no police....
Well anyway, i still think Japan is a very safe place with a low crimerate and Ameyoko is the one place wich is know for theft.

About the "no residental area" thing. Go to Ueno and drive maybe 3 stations with the train and the residantel only areas will start and you can keep going with the train for far more than 30 minutes and there will still be just houses. I think many of the people working in Tokyo live outside there and commute every day for 2+hours (wich sucks!).
After having been on the morning rush hour for 3 weeks now (the worst part beeing from Ueno to Akiba) i would not want to lead that live everday.