Since the 1990s, as tattooing in Japan is readily associated with the national mafia, some establishments and signs prohibit access to anyone with a tattoo to screen potential criminals. Unfortunately, these decisions also impact both Japanese people and foreigners who have tattoos without any connection to the yakuza.
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.
Yes, Japan allows foreigners with tattoos to visit the country. However, people with visible tattoos may be barred from certain places like onsens (hot springs), gyms, swimming pools, and some traditional ryokans (inns), as tattoos are often associated with the Yakuza.
Is tattoo illegal in Japan? Having a tattoo is not illegal per se in Japan. However, tattoo artists tend to work under-the-radar as their job, as every occupation involving needles are legally subject to owning a medical degree.
During the Edo Period (1603 – 1867), tattoos became popular within the lower and working class until the first national ban on tattooing was introduced in 1872. This ban is said to have been influenced by foreign perception of Japan and the government's desire for conformity and rejection of 'primitive' practices.
Strange as it may seem, many gyms in Japan won't let you inside with exposed tattoos. Tattoos are associated with Yakuza (gangsters), who are often heavily tattooed. The government put this rule in place to keep Yakuza away from the public because they can't specifically say “no Yakuza”.
Body ink has long been stigmatised in Japan due to its links with the criminal underworld. In recent years tattoos have been associated with country's largest organised crime syndicate, the Yakuza, but their murky history dates much further back.
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.
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.
Besides booking yourself a private onsen (which can be costly), you can purchase body stickers and skin-coloured patches to conceal your body art. However, most of these coverings are on the smaller side.
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. However, in Japan there is a strong stigma against tattoos, so you might not be able to enter some public places with visible body art.
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.
Tattoos are either loved or hated, more so in Japan, a country known for holding its beauty and traditions. To many, tattoos will always be associated with the Yakuza but for others, it is a form of art.
Restricting tattooed guests from bathing would make it impossible for much of the global population to experience this vital part of Japanese nature and culture. Today, having a tattoo will not prevent you from experiencing an onsen or sento.
Laws and regulations
Chinese law has no mandatory norms for adult tattooing, as long as the individual has reached the age of 18 and has full capacity for civil conduct. The law does not place any restrictions on tattoos; it is completely determined by the individual according to circumstances and voluntary choice.
Be sure to remove any piercings (ears are okay) and conceal any ink. (Tattoos in Japan are widely associated with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, and are generally frowned upon.)
While the Yakuza, Japan's organized crime syndicate, often plays a role in movies, they are not likely to target tourists. While in Japan, simply exercise common sense and don't make yourself a target. Keep valuables in a safe place and exercise caution.
Yes, you can join the Yakuza as an American. A small percentage of the Yakuza are not Japanese. But it may be a hard feat to achieve. That's because the Yakuza have the traditional Japanese warrior spirit that sees the foreigner as a threat.
The men of yakuza follow a strict code of conduct and hierarchy. They sport irezumi (a distinctive style of Japanese tattooing), slick back-combed hair, tailored suits, and are most avidly known for following unconventional rituals like yubitsume, the amputation of the left little finger.
Be Aware of Local Cultural Norms
If you're planning to teach English in Japan with tatoos, for example, you will find schools that prohibit teachers from having visible tattoos. This is largely due to the cultural association tattoos have with the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia).
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.
Traditionally, tattoos have carried a significant stigma in Japan, particularly due to their association with the Yakuza, Japan's “mafia”. Consequently, the Defense Ministry implemented a strict tattoo ban forbidding visible tattoos among personnel to maintain a professional and disciplined image.
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.
Tattooing goes against the Confucian values of filial piety and avoidance of injury to the body, as it is given by one's parents. These cultural beliefs are common to Japanese and Korean societies too.
The history of tattooing in Japan is long and complex, and until recently, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare ruled that tattoos were only considered legal where it constituted a medical procedure, making it almost impossible to be tattooed for aesthetic purposes.