“I Started To Scream And Jumped To My Feet”: Woman Issues Warning About Solo Traveling In Japan

After a busy day of sightseeing, a woman returned back to her hotel for some peace, quiet and a good night’s rest. But instead, she came back to her hotel room to a real-life nightmare that has left her traumatized.

Natalisi Taksisi, who lives in Thailand, went on a solo trip to Japan and believed it was a “very safe country.”

She picked a well-known hotel chain for her stay in Tokyo and never expected that a foul smell in the room would lead her to make a spine-chilling discovery.

A woman experienced pure horror during her solo-travel to Japan

Woman solo traveler wearing sunglasses and coat taking a selfie outdoors with trees and a large building in the background

Image credits: natalisi_

Natalisi revealed in a TikTok video that she was staying at the APA Hotel & Resort in Tokyo.

Initially, it seemed like a great accommodation for her brief stay in the city.

Not only did the place look “legit,” but the solo-traveler said she had a key card that gave only her access to her hotel and her room.

Entrance of APA Hotel Asakusa-Kuramae at night with illuminated sign, related to solo traveler spotting person hiding under hotel bed.

Image credits: Purin Travel

“The first day, everything was fine,” Natalisi recalled.

It was on Day 2 when things took a horrific turn.

The young model said she spent the day sightseeing and came back to the hotel around 7:30 p.m.

The solo-traveler said she noticed a “weird smell” and realized it was coming from under the bed

Young woman describing her experience spotting a stranger hiding under a hotel bed while solo traveling.

Image credits: natalisi_

As usual, she opened the door to her hotel room, took her clothes off, and got into bed to get some rest.

“Then I noticed a weird smell,” she said. “At first, I thought it was coming from my hair or the bed sheets, but then I realised it was coming from under the bed.”

“When I leaned over to check, I saw a pair of eyes staring at me,” said the horrified guest.

Woman recounting solo traveler spotting stranger hiding under hotel bed during phrogging incident in attic.

Image credits: natalisi_

“I saw a man under my bed, and I started to scream and jumped to my feet,” she continued.

Natalisi said the stranger in her room climbed out from underneath the bed and simply stared at her for a few seconds.

“Those seconds felt like my life was over,” Natalisi told her audience

@natalisi_Thank you for coverage♬ original sound – Наталі Хоменко

The TikToker quickly composed herself and alerted the hotel staff, who eventually rang up the police.

Unfortunately, the unidentified intruder escaped before cops arrived at the scene.

To make matters worse, the hotel did not have any CCTV cameras and, thus, couldn’t offer any surveillance footage that could explain how the stranger entered the unsuspecting woman’s room.

Security officer investigating hotel room with items on desk, related to phrogging and person hiding under bed incident.

Image credits: natalisi_

“I kept asking the hotel, ‘How did it happen?’ and they didn’t have any answer for me,” said a helpless Natalisi.

“They suggested upfront that police wouldn’t find the intruder because they have no cameras,” she added.

The only items found during the police search was a power bank and a USB cable under the bed.

The young traveler was left traumatized and was “on edge” for the rest of her trip

Woman looking worried and clutching blanket, illustrating solo traveler spotting person hiding under hotel bed incident.

Image credits: natalisi_

The hotel did not offer any explanation for the “severe breach of safety.”

The traumatized guest immediately moved to another hotel, but couldn’t enjoy the rest of her holiday in peace.

@natalisi_ I found a man under my bed in a hotel room in Japan. This was supposed to be a safe solo trip. What happened changed everything. If you’re a solo traveler, please share this. We deserve to feel safe — even in ‘safe’ countries. @apahotel @agoda #SoloTravel#TrueStory#TravelNightmare#HotelHorror#JapanTrip#SafetyFirst#TokyoDiaries#WomenTravelSafe#TravelSafetyMatters#HotelSecurityFail#APAHotel#JapanTravelTips#TravelerWarning#APAHotelRyogoku#APAHotelJapan#APAHotelExperience#FYP#ReelStory#Storytime#ShockingStory#RealExperience#GoingViral#SoloFemaleTraveler♬ original sound – Наталі Хоменко

“The next days of my trip were a nightmare,” she admitted. “I couldn’t sleep, and I was constantly on edge, checking every corner of my room.”

“I’m left wondering how someone could get into my room, how someone knew that I was alone in my room,” she added.

The hotel simply apologized but couldn’t offer an explanation for the “severe breach of safety”

Apology letter from hotel about intruder incident and investigation after traveler spots phrogging under hotel bed.

Image credits: natalisi_

A fellow TikToker named Dominique said she wasn’t surprised to hear the story of a woman finding a stranger under her bed in her Japanese hotel room.

“Japan is very well-known for their safety, but I feel like people really underestimate just how dangerous Japan is for women.

She said she has traveled the world by herself and was forced to deal with “creepy” men “everywhere.” But she said Japan was “definitely” the “worst place” she visited.

Fellow TikToker Dominique said she wasn’t surprised by a female tourist finding a man underneath her hotel bed in Japan

Close-up of a woman warning about stranger phrogging and someone hiding under a hotel bed during solo travel.

Image credits: miniipuff

Almost everyday, she had people stalking her or following her during her time in Japan, she said in a TikTok video.

Sharing her own personal experience, Dominique revealed that on one occasion, a hotel employee brazenly entered her room while she was fast asleep.

@miniipuff A psa for women traveling to Japan 🇯🇵 #japan#travel#storytime#fyp♬ original sound – 𝒹𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓆𝓊𝑒 ✩࿐

“The hotel doesn’t care … The hotel did nothing. Airbnb did nothing. There is really no protection for women,” she said.

“These types of crimes are so frequent that they just don’t do anything about it,” added the content creator.

Natalisi later shared a statement, saying she wasn’t looking for “fame,” but was simply telling the “truth”

Alt text: Solo traveler recounts finding stranger hiding under hotel bed in Japan, describing fear and police involvement after phrogging incident.

Image credits: natalisi_

A similar and equally terrifying incident was reported earlier this month from the US.

A woman shared her friend’s experience of “phrogging,” where someone is secretly living in the house without the knowledge or permission of the homeowner or the occupant inside the house.

In the US, a similar incident of “phrogging” went viral earlier this year

Woman in glasses and white hoodie shares story after spotting stranger phrogging and hiding under hotel bed.

Image credits: ladymarine11

The content creator, who goes by LadyMarine11 on TikTok, said her friend was constantly hearing sounds coming from her upstairs attic. She and her husband initially brushed it off as a family of raccoons living above them.

One day, when the friend was home alone, she decided to investigate but was too afraid to go all the way up inside the attic. So she climbed a few stairs and stuck her phone up to click a picture.

@ladymarine11#scarystory#homeinvasion#squatter#greenscreen♬ original sound – LadyMarine11

When she laid eyes on the photograph, she found a full-grown man staring at the camera with her husband’s clothing next to him.

“The police came. They found him … He’d been going into their house while they were out and taking things,” LadyMarine11 said. “So he’d been there for a while.”

Natalisi‘s experience in Japan sparked heated discussions online about safety in the Asian country

Comment about cameras in Japan and foreigners claiming cameras are not working when facing problems, shown on a social media post.

Comment from a former luxury hotel worker discussing suspicious behavior related to staff access in hotel rooms.

Comment discussing crime reporting in Japan, highlighting perception of safety and concerns about public relations impact.

Commenters discussing a stranger phrogging in an attic and a solo traveler spotting someone hiding under a hotel bed.

Comment stating Japanese traveler’s negative opinion of APA Hotel, comparing it unfavorably to other Japanese hotels.

Comment from hotel worker explaining hotel security and key card access control for room safety.

Comment from solo traveler woman sharing experience of stalking and unsafe encounters while traveling in Japan.

Instagram comment from user jarrr expressing frustration about foreigners facing limitations in Japan, with 161 likes.

Comment apologizing for causing fear in Japan and hoping the emotional wounds will heal soon, posted by user J1012J.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing surveillance cameras and safety reputation in Japan.

Screenshot of a social media comment about trauma from a stranger phrogging in an attic and hiding under hotel bed.

Comment about stranger phrogging in attic and solo traveler spotting person hiding under hotel bed, discussing safety concerns.

Alt text: Online comments discussing safety concerns for women, related to phrogging incidents involving solo travelers.

Comment on a social media post about a solo traveler spotting a person hiding in a hotel room, mentioning staying at an APA hotel.

Comment about CCTV in Japan not working related to lost package, highlighting concerns about phrogging and hidden strangers in hotels.

Comment expressing relief after spotting stranger phrogging in attic and person hiding under hotel bed.

Comment on Japan tourism expressing concern about increased fear due to stranger phrogging incidents in attics and hotels.

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