Sidewalk vendors, entertainers and musicians
 

Someone asked me this today, and I had no idea what the answer is.

You can often see vendors selling trinkets, jewelry, etc. in certain places in the big cities in Japan. Sometimes the vendors are foreigners.

You can also see musicians and entertainers with an open guitar case taking donations.

How does one get "permission" to do this, is there some kind of license, or are these act simply ignored by the police and other authorities?

I have always wondered about this too... I even remember people having big blankets to display their jewelry on the floor blocking most of the walkway and they never got in trouble (at least I never saw them).

It's not licensed, and the police usually look the other way, so long as nothing illegal (fake name-brands goods) is being sold, or so long as the performers are not impeding traffic. There are a few places around the larger stations where jobless (known elsewhere in the world as "homeless") beg for small change.

I saw all three around Yurakocho station yesterday. The police have better things to do, like give directions, take reports for stolen umbrellas, or cite drunk salarymen for smoking while walking on the sidewalks.

Thanks, Sangetsu, that's good to know. I guess just keep a low profile.

nope you just do it. i actually do that here where i live. police really dont care. they usually buy from me. people just take it all in a car or box walk around sell them and go to where you put them and get some more.

If you are gaijin the police ask for a license. I knew a guy from Peru who sold jewelry on his time off and he was taken into the police station several times. He was let go (minus his jewelry) but always packed up when he saw police after that.
Another strange thing was I had a Chinese girlfriend (she was a Japanese citizen though) who had a school. One of the Japanese students got angry at a teacher and reported to the police that my girlfriend allowed students to sell used costumes to each other (my girlfriend didn't know about it). A policeman called my girlfriend and told her she needed a permit to sell used items. She agreed to come and get one but was told that there was a test involved and since she was a foreigner (she is fluent in Japanese) she had to send an employee (Japanese) instead. She did and got the permit. Strange thinking.:eek:

You do need a license to sell stuff - and they do crack down periodically. But it`s more of a once a week sort of thing. Go around, fine everybody, then ignore for the next week.

Unless you`re in prime territory, like right in front of the exit of a very busy station. They`ll get you quick there as it`s actually getting in the way. Otherwise unless it becomes a "nuisance" there is no reason.

Performers don`t need a permit unless they set up an actual stage. They`ll be told to move if they`re in the way, but that`s about it.

Nothing has changed..

I was fingerprinted when I was pulled over by the police on my scooter.

Apparantly, the police would not fingerprint a national local.