Order of magnitude difference in cost, but one time I left my e-reader on a bench in Yoyogi Park when I got distracted by the baked sweet potato cart and wandered off without it.

I came back an hour later to find an old lady, having occupied my former spot, waiting a while to see if the owner returned before taking it to the nearby police box. I was all over myself apologizing and thanking her in my crappy Japanese, but she didn't get what I perceived as abnormal about the situation. She didn't even take me up on my offer of a baked sweet potato.

Another time, I accidentally sprayed 500 yen (so, roughly $5) coins all over the floor at Comiket when trying to extract change from pocket. Being Comiket, a coin rolling a few meters may as well have been a mile off due to the sheer crush of bodies. Since I was at the head of the line and didn't want to inconvenience everyone behind me, I mentally wrote them off as a loss and continued buying my hen^Wartbooks, only to have all the coins immediately returned by a guy who saw what had happened and went scrambling around for them. He, too, refused all thanks and melted back into the crowd.

So, although I can't attest to the laptop thing, it definitely wouldn't surprise me. The similar anecdotes in this thread seem to agree.

Sorta. It's not 100% safe, but it's good enough. In crime stats, it's among the lowest in the world, and 4 to 15 times less than the US (depending on crime).

https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Japan/Unit...

https://medium.com/@alascii/this-guy-left-a-laptop-in-a-toky...

https://www.attendly.com/the-astonishing-lost-and-found-cult...

https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/japan-a-g...

https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-tokyo_tra...

(Of course, whatever Japanese culture might be, Japan now also has millions of tourists each year, with whom, YMMV).

My experience with lost items in Japan so far.

Been bicycling daily here for 10 years, never lock my bike. It's been stolen once, but with a bike costing <$100 I figure I'd rather save the 10 seconds per day vs. not losing one bike per ten years.

Forgot an iPhone once on a bench outside. Person who found it immediately called my contacts to find out how to return it.

Dropped my wallet once in Tokyo. It was returned to the nearest police box in less than an hour.

If you ever have the chance, visit a Japanese police departments lost and found sometime.

My friend lost her passport in Kyoto, it turned up at the lost and found. Peering in through the window they had a little bit of everything, and roughly a million umbrellas.

Absolutely. In Japan most bicycles are left unlocked. You can leave your cellphone to hold your seat in a coffee shop. Things you lose get returned. My father lost his passport there and when he called, the embassy already had it.

Yeah. I have had an iPhone returned after leaving it by accident on a train. A luggage with a MacBook air inside returned as well. Funniest part was reaction of my coworker who helped me figure out where I should call to get the luggage. It did not occur to him that stuff inside might get stolen(Japanese guy)

In Canada I just assume anything not bolted down will get stolen. I left company laptop on a taxi before and it got stolen, even so I called the taxi company 2 mins after.. lol one of the many reason I have no problem with Uber screwing cabbies.

Never heard about the laptop. But general rule is - not yours don't touch. Except for a bike and umbrellas. I know people who lost wallet, phone, I lost phone twice and few smaller things, ex. new pair of shoes in the train... Always returned or ready for me to pickup. Leaving your personal belongings on the table in crowded café is a norm. After some time you don't even get a thrill when loosing something.. "Come on, it's Japan, obviously you'll be able to find it." Unfortunately, coming back to the reality of the West is harsh. Not only WRT safety...

I once left my phone on a train in Kyoto. Managed to get it back in about 40 minutes with the help of station staff (it was a minor station so it was just one guy who didn't speak any English).