Why Can Tattoos Keep You Out of Some Hot Springs in Japan?
It is not against the law. A history linking tattoos with organised crime still shapes the rules at some baths, and here is how to navigate them.
The short answer
In Japan, irezumi (traditional tattoos, and tattoos in general) have long been associated with boryokudan (organised crime groups, the yakuza), so some onsen (hot springs) and sento (public bathhouses) turn away tattooed bathers on the grounds that "other guests will be frightened". This is not a rule set by law; each facility decides for itself.
In 2016 the government told facilities that refusing foreign visitors a bath just because they have tattoos is not appropriate, and gave examples of alternatives such as covering tattoos with stickers, separating bathing times and offering private baths. Today, policies vary from place to place: "completely banned", "OK with conditions" or "no restrictions".
A long history of tattoos
The history of tattooing in Japan is complicated. In the Edo period, full-body tattoos with vivid colours and intricate designs became fashionable among machi-bikeshi (the firefighting brigades of Edo) and craftsmen. The tattooed heroes in Utagawa Kuniyoshi's ukiyo-e (woodblock print) series based on the Chinese novel Water Margin, published around 1827, are said to have had a big influence on the designs. The shogunate issued edicts banning tattoos in 1811 and 1842, but the crackdowns do not seem to have lasted.
At the same time, the Edo shogunate also used tattooing as a punishment for criminals (the position and shape of the tattoo showed where the person had been punished). Tattoos carried two opposite meanings side by side: "the mark of a stylish craftsman" and "the mark of a criminal record".
In the Meiji era, the new government banned tattoos in 1872. The ban continued in the Penal Code of 1880 and the Police Offences Ordinance of 1908, with detention or fines for breaking it. Behind this, it is said, lay a Confucian dislike of harming the body, together with a wish to appear a "civilised" country in the eyes of Europe and America. The ban was lifted only after the war, in 1948, when the Police Offences Ordinance was abolished.
How "tattoo = yakuza" took hold
Even after the ban was lifted, the image of tattoos did not improve. From the 1960s a great many ninkyo films (yakuza films) were made, spreading the image of characters with tattoos across their backs, and the view that "tattoos belong to gangsters" is said to have taken hold rapidly.
Even today, many prefectures restrict tattooing minors under their youth protection ordinances (local rules to protect under-18s), with Ehime Prefecture in 1967 said to be the first. This shows how society treats tattoos cautiously, as something an adult chooses for themselves.
Then, with the Anti-Boryokudan Act (a law restricting the activities of organised crime groups) coming into force in 1992, society as a whole pushed harder to shut out organised crime. Bathing facilities often cite this drive against organised crime as their reason for turning away people with tattoos. Tattoos, which can be judged at a glance, have been used as an easy place to draw the line. In a 2015 survey by the Japan Tourism Agency, about 56% of hotels and ryokan (traditional inns) that responded said they refuse tattooed guests the use of the large communal bath, about 31% had no restrictions, and about 13% allowed it if the tattoos were covered with stickers or similar.
The government's stance and how onsen handle it now
As the number of foreign visitors soared, the issue drew attention. In 2014 about 1 in 3 foreign visitors to Japan named hot springs as one of the main purposes of their trip, and travel companies were hearing from confused visitors who had been refused a bath because of tattoos. In 2013, a Maori woman from New Zealand (the Maori are an Indigenous people) with a traditional facial tattoo was refused entry at a hot spring facility in Hokkaido, which was widely reported.
In March 2016 the Japan Tourism Agency sent a notice to hotel, ryokan and hot spring industry associations. It asked them to bear in mind that people have tattoos for many reasons, including religion, culture and fashion, and that tattoos pose no hygiene problem, and stated that refusing someone a bath solely because they have a tattoo is not appropriate. It then gave examples of how to handle it: covering tattoos with stickers or similar (wearing a hygienic bathing garment was also mentioned as a possibility), not requiring anything in particular for small tattoos around the size of a palm, suggesting times when fewer families are bathing, and offering private baths or rooms with their own bath. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also asked local authorities to make sure no one is refused a bath for unfair reasons.
The notice also noted that foreign visitors to Japan had jumped from 8.36 million to 19.74 million in four years. It added that foreign travellers would be told how tattoos are viewed in Japan through the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and others. In other words, it asked both facilities and travellers to meet each other halfway.
However, this request has no legal force, and in the end each facility decides what to do. According to press reports, the agency explained that its request concerned foreign visitors and did not ask facilities to admit Japanese people with tattoos.
What surprises visitors
Since many people abroad have small tattoos as fashion, visitors are often surprised: "Even a tiny flower isn't allowed?" What facilities really mean is not that they want to tell different tattoos apart, but that it is hard to expect other guests to understand each difference. In fact, in the agency's 2015 survey, nearly half of the facilities that responded said they had received complaints from other guests about tattooed bathers.
How to enjoy onsen if you have tattoos
The surest way is to ask the facility before you book. The Japan Tourism Agency's ryokan introduction pages also recommend contacting the ryokan if you are concerned about tattoos. Responses vary from ryokan to ryokan: "no restrictions", "small ones considered case by case", or "we will suggest a private bath or the bath in your room".
When you ask, things go more smoothly if you say exactly where your tattoo is and how big it is. Among the examples the agency gave is not requiring anything special for small tattoos around the size of a palm that would not intimidate other bathers. Saying something like "I have one tattoo on my arm, smaller than my palm" makes it easier for the facility to decide.
With a small tattoo, some facilities will let you in if you cover it with a skin-coloured cover sticker. With a large tattoo, choosing a kashikiri-buro (a private bath you can book for a set time just for your family or friends) or a room with its own outdoor bath lets you enjoy the hot spring without worrying about others. Even if you cannot accept the rule, your trip will be far more pleasant if you choose another facility that will accommodate you rather than arguing with the staff on the spot.
Tips
- Before booking, email or call the facility to ask whether tattoos are OK.
- If your tattoo is small, around palm-sized, bring a skin-coloured cover sticker: some facilities will then let you in.
- If you have large tattoos, choosing an inn with a private bath or a room with its own outdoor bath is the safe option.
- If a sign at the entrance says tattoos are not allowed, respect it as that facility's rule.
- If you are turned away, do not argue; finding another facility will keep your trip pleasant.
