Things you CAN’T do if you have tattoos in Japan

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[shanobian]

I heard it's generally only Japanese people with tattoos who get refused. They are more open to foreigners with tattoos

[MidnightBlue]

People are more understanding of foreigners with tattoos. They are smart enough to know a foreigner has a different culture and isn’t a yakuza.

Still, foreigners - best to respect the culture of the country you’re in!

[AnaCeciFrutos]

One friend, who had the opportunity to go to Japan, covered her two tattoos to enter a public bath house among other places, she never had a problem.

[Hexalyse]

I went to a gym in Japan, with a tattoo covering the full length of my left arm. Quickly, an employee came to us and told us I could finish this time but I needed to cover it next time (fortunately my gf is fluent in Japanese, cause I didn't speak a single word back then). I just bought a sleeve to put under my t-shirt, from shoulder to wrist, and I was fine :)
Basically, as long as it's not visible, you're fine.
But yep, except some hotel onsen where it was allowed, or private onsens you can book just for a small group in ryokan, you can forget onsens if you have tattoos in most places... sad, but that's the culture, which I think is important to respect and embrace :)

[zachzmolik]

When I was living in Japan I went to a Capsule hotel and my friend had to hide his tattoo to get in. But, there was a new bar that opened up right next to my dorm building that was really small and 50’s Rock themed. The owners and only workers were covered in tattoos and they were two of the nicest people I’ve meet. Like amazing people.

[LinariaFreeze]

I've been to Japan plenty of times with my boyfriend who has tattoos. We just rented a private room in the onsen, as I'm not super comfortable being naked around strangers anyway, but we had a great time! His tattoos aren't visible in a normal shirt though. It might be harder to get around if you have a neck or face tattoo.

[Samouraii]

Having to be completely naked with strangers and my friends, onsen wasn't really top of my list when visiting 😅

[Jensiedactyl]

I'm a foreign woman living in Japan, and I have tattoos. I have been refused at many public onsen even though I'm clearly not Yakuza. But most onsen areas have private indoor and outdoor rooms, and you can rent them even if you have tattoos

[johnnyunfiltered]

An easy way to work around it if you have a small tattoo is to apply concealer over it, obviously not in a situation where it might rub off though like water

[nannerscatz]

I’d recommend Akidearist’s (hope I spelled that right) videos on tattoos in Japan if ur interested. Ppl with tattoos are slowly being more accepted tho, and it’s really sweet!!

[cb-akp]

it’s so wild that japan has such strong anti-tattoo beliefs when one of the most respected and widely loved styles of tattooing in the world is traditional japanese tattooing.

[uityuvw]

I know a JET teacher who lives in a city with a nihonjin construction worker who has his face tattooed. So I guess you can build the bathhouses, just not bathe in them lol

[melissaruiz]

💥🥹I’m so in love, , , the way you say, “industry”, is soooo cute🥹💥

[dulizardglasses]

Good to know if I ever go to Japan. I’m planning on getting a tattoo of a crab smoking a cigarette in the next few years

[randomtslur]

I've heard Yakuza would always keep there tattoos hidden, so It make the rules of tattoos (at least for those in place because of Yakuza) kind of stupid because freely showing your tattoo shows you're not hiding anything.

[hylian]

Thank you:D is there any other “fashion” object you’d actually want to avoid or just not have at all?

[jotato]

Me who wants a tattoo from the literal yakuza game: 😢

[stellajacobson]

Good to know what travelling to Japan! I'm glad though that the view of tattoos are beginning to change:) thank you for teaching me yet another good fact!

[brinkiTOgo]

I lived a while in Japan and I've got a small tattoo on my arm. Whenever I wanted to enter an Onsen or public bath (mostly on Honshu, but also on Shikoku), I asked the receptionist if it's ok. And I always was allowed in :)
In Ryokans (along the Kumano Kodo), that was no problem at all.

[demoiselledelamontagne]

My hubby and I are tatted and were treated no differently when we visited Japan and we went to a local sento (bath) with a lot of locals and everyone just minded their own business. We were not refused entry, we actually made friends that invited us for free meals at their restaurant.