People with Tattoos Are Prohibited from Entering Hot Springs... "Cover Them with Bandages" [Nichiyobi Nichibunka]

Historically Negative Image
Recently, Some Places Changed to 'Entry Allowed if Covered'

It is the perfect season to soak in warm water. Many people traveling to Japan include winter hot springs in their travel plans. Popular destinations among Koreans, such as Yufuin and Hakone near Tokyo, are beginning to get crowded.

One ongoing controversy related to this is the rule that "people with tattoos are prohibited from bathing." Recently, some people have asked me, "Is it really impossible to enter?" which made me curious.

Is it really true that if you have tattoos, you cannot enter hot springs? Why is Japan particularly sensitive about tattoos? Today, I will explore these questions.

In fact, at famous tourist spots like Hakone and Yufuin, you can often see signs stating "People with tattoos are prohibited from bathing."

An onsen guide in Hakone. The first line prohibits tattoos or body art, even stickers are not allowed. (Photo by Hakone Paid Onsen)

This is also related to Japan's history. Since the Nara period in the 700s, tattoos were a form of punishment. This culture continued through the Edo period in the 16th to 17th centuries, where tattoos were used to mark criminals. As cities developed and populations grew significantly, crime also increased. As a method of maintaining public order, criminals were tattooed with patterns on their bodies as a form of punishment to deter crime. Ultimately, tattoos were recognized as "evidence of being a criminal."

Until 1948, tattooing was illegal in Japan, so the negative image persisted. According to a survey conducted by the Kanto Bar Association in 2014, when asked "What do you think of people with tattoos?" 52.3% answered "unacceptable," and when asked "What do you associate with irezumi or tattoos?" 47.5% answered "crime."

Similar to Korea, Japan also has a strong image of "tattoos = gangsters." Since gang members have tattoos, public bathhouses prohibit them because other customers may feel intimidated. This culture is so old that even in the 1940s, there were posters banning tattoos. Not only hot springs but also some beaches have regulations prohibiting people with tattoos.

Of course, recently, the number of people getting tattoos in Japan has been gradually increasing. This has sparked debates within Japan about banning bathing for those who have tattoos but are not gangsters. However, this makes it difficult to distinguish which tattoos are acceptable and which are not. As a result, business owners seem to have concluded that a blanket ban on all tattoos is a more reasonable regulation.

However, some places now allow small tattoos to be covered with bandages or large tattoos to be concealed by wearing rash guards. There are also websites that compile places where people with tattoos can bathe.

Some argue that to promote Japanese hot springs as a tourist product to overseas visitors, the tattoo ban should be lifted.