Are You Tattooed? Here’s How to Enjoy Hot Springs in Japan

Although they are not forbidden, some places will ban anyone with tattoos from entering, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying one of the best parts of Japanese culture: hot springs! We compiled your options for visiting Japan while being tattooed. Ready to soak in?

Some Historical Context

You would have understood by now that hot springs are usually a no-go for anyone tattooed. This rule applies to most pools, gyms, yoga studios, public baths, and even beaches and workplaces. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are considered as someone associated with anything criminal or looked down on if you have an old-school skull or a cute butterfly inked in your skin, it’s just how Japan has dealt with tattoos for years now. To avoid crime in your establishment, and as this part of the population usually had gang-related tattoos, simply ban anyone tattooed. This way, you don’t have to deal with false accusations or troubles in your lobby.

Like many other cultures, there is indeed a tradition of tattooing in Japan that goes back to the Jomon Period (until 300 BCE) but as a form of public punishment. Later on, during the Edo Period (around 1800 CE) it evolved from punishment to being simply and utterly banned, as they were associated with crime. It is legal to get a tattoo in Japan only since 1946.

Some tourists choose to hide their tattoos when travelling, in fear of hurting locals' sensibilities, but most of the time you would get praise or indifference. Although some places will forbid you to enter if you have a visible tattoo – you could be kicked out when it comes to hot springs since you will be naked.

Are All Hot Springs Banning Tattoos?

No! First of all, there are several types of hot springs from onsen to sento or even rotenburo. The type of hot spring that most people have in mind when thinking about trying one is the onsen. According to the Hot Spring Act, an onsen is a type of “hot water, mineral water, and water vapour or other gas gushing from underground”. Rotenburos are outside baths, a subcategory of onsen coming with amazing sea or forest views. This is the kind of place that will usually ban tattooed people from entering the premises. You could check on their website or by asking the front desk but there is a really high chance that even the smallest tattoo could become a problem.

An option here would be to hide it with a band-aid! That’s actually quite common, and you can find specific band-aids for this, but it might be hard if you have bigger pieces on your body.

The sento, on the other hand, is a public bathhouse and the hot water is not naturally heated, but reheated. Some sentos will use natural water, and some will use tap water. The good news: they usually are open to everyone! They are less frequented by tourists, and that is a shame: sento is a perfect way to meddle with the locals while enjoying a Japanese hot spring, even with tattoos. Do check if you see any sign indicating that the place you chose forbids them, or enquire at the entrance just in case.

Another Solution: Private Baths

We have to say this is the perfect option, even if you don’t have tattoos. Most traditional hotels come with a private bath option. Conditions will vary from one hotel to the other, but usually, you will have to pick a time slot when you check-in and you will enjoy a private bath in your hotel, maybe even coming with an amazing view!

It is not a requirement for all hotels, and some have better baths than others. We recommend you get in touch with one of our consultants to find the perfect match for you! They will also help you find a place matching all your requirements, including food allergies, meal options, or additional services.

An Online Tool to Help You Out!

When planning a trip, you might want to check ahead whether you can enter or not… Fear no more, Japan has a site for it! Trying to find out the perfect dipping spot is not only a tourist problem; it is troublesome for many tattooed locals as well. As a response, a website was created to help categorize onsen and sento and register their view on the tattoo matter.

Previously named Tattoo Spot, Tattoo GO is a collaborative tool listing any type of place that is reputed for banning tattoos and allows users to add pictures and comments, and state whether they could enter the onsen, gym, or even yoga studio. Even though the English version of the website is not perfect, it is rather useful. Just be sure to note that the red colour code means that the users could enter – it does not indicate that tattoos are banned there. Orange means that the users were kicked out or banned from entering.

Do you still have doubts? Our consultants are here to facilitate your trip, including cultural differences! Do reach out to learn more.