Although the number of tattoo-friendly onsen and sento is growing, many still do not allow tattooed guests. Etiquette is important to Japanese bathing culture and crucial for a relaxing onsen experience. Inked visitors should avoid these facilities and instead find one of the many that do allow tattoos.
This prejudice is most clear in public bathing facilities, where tattoos are generally still forbidden, although there is no official ban on them. Even foreign tourists, who are clearly not involved in Japanese organized crime, can be turned away for their tattoos.
Some onsen will welcome you but simply issue you with skin-coloured patches to stick on, covering up any potentially offending ink. If you are using an onsen which is part of a ryokan (traditional inn) then there is probably less chance that others would see your tattoos - unless the ryokan is a very large modern one.
Foundation Tape
It's available in five colours and four sizes. You can even cut it to size to fit over your tattoo. You apply the tape like a sticker and it should last about a week if applied properly. Foundation Tape is available online.
Walking around town is perfectly fine, especially in the big cities. However, you're going to want to cover up when you visit anywhere that is traditional, such as temples, shrines, and ryokan. Even if there isn't a posted rule, it is respectful to cover your tattoos in these places.
Rules are very important in Japan, and as there is a no tattoo rule in nearly all pools, onsens and gyms, a foreigner walking up to the desk with tattoos showing is bound to cause concern. Just cover up and keep those tattoos covered and that is acceptable. If you can't cover up, don't go to those environments.
Are Tattoos Illegal in Japan? While some view tattoos as an art form, the Japanese government, on the other hand, does not. Although they may not be illegal, tattoos are often associated with the Yakuza, a Japanese gang that covers their entire body with tattoos.
Japan has a longstanding taboo against tattoos, which remain associated with organized crime. Many beaches, hot springs resorts and gyms do not admit people with tattoos. Companies often expressly prohibit applicants who are inked.
Kitahama Onsen Termas Bath
On the southern island of Kyushu is where you'll find Beppu, a steaming hot spring haven located in Oita Prefecture. Beppu is a relatively safe bet for onsen lovers with tattoos as many of the facilities you'll find here have more relaxed attitudes to the archaic rules.
Well I'm sorry to ruin your dreams, but unfortunately, as many of you already know, if you are a tattooed person, you are not allowed to enter most of the public baths, pools, hot springs, gyms or beaches in the country.
The shortest answer to this, based on research on medical publications and articles in Japanese, doctors would in general not encourage you to go into an onsen while on your period. The most common reasons are that: It's unsanitary and disrespectful toward other people.
Do not submerge your tattoo in water. Avoid rivers, lakes, hot springs, hot tubs, baths, etc… until your tattoo is fully healed.
Traditionally, visitors with tattoos aren't allowed in Japan's onsen (natural hot springs) because of an age-old association with organized crime. However, times are changing, and more and more onsen have relaxed their policies—in some cases to accommodate tattooed foreign tourists.
The Japanese have perfected the art of onsen, or hot spring baths, for centuries. Traditionally, men and women would bathe together in the same facility, but these days the baths are segregated by gender. Today, konyoku (mixed-gender onsen) are hard to find, with places like Tokyo having bans on such establishments.
During the Edo period, tattoos were common in Japan – however, the reason was a negative one. At that time, criminals would be marked with tattoos as a form of permanent punishment that would make it easier for law-abiding citizens to identify (and stay far away from) them.
Some onsen do not accept bathers with tattoos. This was initially to deny entry to members of Japanese organised-crime groups known as yakuza. If you're inked, ensure the onsen is tattoo-friendly before entering – some will accept decorated types if the tattoos are covered with bandages.
When the Meiji Restoration (1868) came about, the Japanese government sought a modern, refined culture where tattoos had no place in society. Though through post-World War II American occupation in 1948 tattoos were made legal again, the connotation of tattoos in Japan remains frowned upon.
Sento & Onsen ・ What's the difference? The major difference between onsen and sento is the water that flows into the tubs. In fact, while referring to a place as a “sento” doesn't tell you much about the water quality used at the bathhouse, the term “onsen” is actually restricted by Japanese law.
When getting a job in a company, does a tattoo become a negative factor? Still, many Japanese companies reject employees who have tattoos. For Japanese companies, if an employee of the company gets a tattoo, it seems that he is an anti-social person or is associated with other anti-social people.
🐉 Is it OK to have a Yakuza tattoo? Yes, you can get a traditional yakuza tattoo. Yakuza doesn't use tattoos to identify their members, so you won't run into trouble. These tattoos are personal and based on Japanese legends, symbolism, and art.
In upholding the law, the Constitutional Court said tattooing could cause infections and other complications, but Lim argued that safety could be improved by training. There's also taboo associated with tattoos in the country, as ink was historically used to permanently mark criminals and slaves.
In fact, piercings of any kind are very uncommon in Japan, even for older people. Usually the people who get ear piercings in Japan are rule-breakers, or people who are trying to look tough. However clip-on earrings are quite common and acceptable, although of course not at school.
Three largest syndicates
The Yakuza are still active in Japan. Although Yakuza membership has declined since the implementation of the Anti-Boryokudan Act in 1992, the Japanese National Police Agency estimated in 2022 that approximately 11,400 Yakuza members were engaged in illegal activity in Japan.