That reminded me of the weird gypsy (not quite sure of their nationality) homeless "ladies" in Russia, but there it is done for different reasons. They cover their head with a scarf/kerchief, put on a shapeless coat, and then kneel in places like subways and underground crosswalks, always bending really low, never looking up, and not moving (except blessing themselves with a cross sign periodically or constantly, appearing to be praying). Next to them there's usually a cardboard sign with a plea for help, usually including a sob story like "My house burned in a fire" or "My son is dying and he needs an emergency surgery and medication". Most of these are scam artists, sometimes they are men dressed to look like women, that's why they hide their faces. Also, the same person would appear in various parts of the city, with different "sob stories" and various fake handicaps. The saddest part is, sometimes they bring babies or small children with them in order to make people more compassionate. However, the kids are not theirs, they could be "borrowed" from drug-addicted or alcoholic parents, or kidnapped. Most of these children get heavily sedated by morphine , alcohol and possibly other drugs, "for convenience", so that they sleep for hours and hours. Some of them die. This is very heartbreaking, and I am not sure if this problem was ever resolved or not in the past couple of years. This is a totally different "style" from the homeless Japanese. These women (and men) are heartless, worthless people who not only have no shame about begging to start with, but in fact are treating it as a legitimate business, and actually while they make a TON of money, they have to give a part of it to the mob bosses who regulate the begging business, protect the beggar's spot from others (like real homeless people, the police, thugs, etc) and provide the beggars with "tools" like drugs, props, children and legal favors. So in the end it is a well-organized criminal business, not unlike drug trafficing or slave trade, with some elements of both.