Entering the Slum that Japan Doesn’t Want You to See

Japan has one of the lowest homelessness rates in the world, with less than % of its population living on the streets. This is a testament to the country’s robust social programs and unique cultural approach to addressing homelessness. But there is one slum, called Sanya, where you can find almost all of Tokyo’s homeless - and my mission in this video was to go there to learn about why this place still exists, who lives on these streets, and what the future holds for such a contrasting place. Japan is truly one of my favorite countries on earth, and after 11 trips to this island nation, I have to admit that I’ve never seen streets like what I just saw in Sanya. It’s a gritty neighborhood historically known as a hangout for day laborers and marginalized communities. Nowadays, you can find hundreds of homeless men wandering around a dilapidated park, playing board games, and sleeping in makeshift tents. The surrounding alleyways are dotted with ultra-budget hostels for $10/night (the cheapest rooms in the city, but not a place I’d recommend to sleep). The overall experience of walking around Sanya is just bizarre, and I think it’s important that we don’t turn a blind eye on the homeless -- even in a country like Japan. I originally intended to only make this story about Sanya, but after learning about yakuza (gangster) culture, I went on a separate mission to meet a real yakuza member in Fukuoka. I couldn’t believe the things he told me which you will find out in the second half of this video! I’d love to get your thoughts on this darker side of Japan - did you know that homelessness and gangster life existed here? Or is all of this news for you? Comment below! Huge thank you to @JiDion for connecting me to Mr. Yuyama, and to @Poudii for letting me use some of your yakuza footage! Also shoutout to Kosuke for taking me around Japan, you can find his Instagram here: And to Mr. Yuyama himself, who runs this YouTube channel @youyama which gives insight into life as an ex-yakuza! #japan #travel #culture ✅ Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel by clicking here ➞ ▶️ Watch my favorite videos ➞ Thank you to ElevenLabs for dubbing my videos into Spanish, French and Portuguese! If you want to learn more about their amazing technology, click this link: I wrote a book called JUST GO, with exclusive travel stories & tips to inspire you on your next adventures! Grab it on Amazon: Get your annual travel insurance plan with Allianz: FIND ME ON: ► INSTAGRAM: ► TIK TOK: @drewbinsky ► FACEBOOK: ► YOUTUBE 2ND CHANNEL: 👨🏻‍🦰 WHO AM I? I’m Drew Binsky and I have been to EVERY country in the world (197/197). I make documentaries about interesting people and cultures in faraway places. My ultimate goal is to inspire you to travel because I think it’s the best education that you can get. And our planet is beautiful! MOST POPULAR YOUTUBE VIDEOS: ► He Is The Ice Man: ► Tallest Humans on Earth: ► He Hasn’t Slept Since 1962: ► 3 Things You Can’t Do in North Korea: ► Why is Everything Free in Pakistan?: 🙏 GET IN TOUCH! ► Website: ► Email: partnerships@