Does anyone have experience going to a bathhouse in Japan as a heavily tattooed person?
I have heard you must cover them but my husband is heavily tattooed and I’m not sure how it would work or if he should even bother trying to go to one.
Thanks for any tips!
Thank you Chris Myden!

Some allow tattoos but most don’t. You have to check with the individual location and you’ll have better luck in a tourist area. I have two small tattoos and went to a local place and was not allowed.

Google tattoo friendly onsen in ____ to find places that are okay with it.
Some places allow tattoos if they can be covered with a bandage but by the sounds of it he will not be able to do so.

We sent a Canadian Exchange student to Japan. He had tattoos on his legs. He had to cover them with high socks to go into the baths. Tattoos signify gang allegiance and criminality in Japan. Unless covered your hubs may not be permitted and/ or shunned.

Sue he probably didn’t go in a traditional local one, no clothing or towel can touch the water, it’s fully naked only. I didn’t go to coed ones myself, my husband and I went to the separate ones and no where we could have any clothing. Maybe it has changed in certain ones

I’m heavily tattooed and have been to a few. This one near Kyoto but it seems it’s temporarily closed.
https://www.insidekyoto.com/kurama-onsen
Also went to the grand hotel in Naboribetsu. Make sure to ask the staff first.
My hotel on Miyajima also had one and allowed me to use it a half hour before it actually opened.
With some of them they will let you reserve a private bath.
My partner went to more than me. I’ll see if she still has her list.
INSIDEKYOTO.COM
Kurama Onsen

You won’t get in or may be asked to leave. You can ask someone reads Japanese to Google it for you, but I don’t know of any onsens that permit tats. I was with a friend one time with a tiny dolphin tat that could be easily covered by the modesty towel and she was still asked to leave.

My Japanese friend goes all the time. She said they're less strict now. I don't know if it matters, but hers are smaller, although she has many.

It’s been about 20 years since I’ve been, and it was a no go for me. I’m tattooed about quarter of my body. In fact I had issues with some stores. And other public areas.

Most onsen still do not allow it. I wouldn't just show up to one without doing some research. They will kick you out if not allowed. I would say maybe 10-15% allow tattoos, at most.
Stay at a onsen hotel and just do private baths.

Not sure where you’re headed, but we want to a few in Niseko that were totally fine with it.

Guess I'm not going to one. I understand their stance on it based on their history, but It's pretty much 2024.

Just roll with it.
Different historical significance for them and a lot of traditions we don’t share.
Enjoy the culture and the experiences it offers, all those little differences from home are why travel right?

Dan I'm not saying I won't go to Japan, and as I already stated, I understand their stance on it due to the cultural significance in their country. I just think it's sad as to me it's just an art form. Just won't be going to any bath houses I guess.

Jen to them it’s clearly a lot more. As mentioned, google tattoo friendly onsens - the experience is well worth it

Dan the thing with most traditional onsen is they don’t even allow you in if you have tattoos, and you’re basically fully naked so it can’t be covered.

Jen respect the traditions of the country you are in.

Ellen I always do. What part of my comment said I didn't? I've traveled to many countries with different customs, and respect them. Have yet to go to Japan, but I just won't go to the bath houses.

Many have signage not allowing tattoos.

Google tattoo friendly onsens. I am very heavily tattooed and not able to cover them (half sleeve, all my torso and one hip).
I forgot where I went - was a spontaneous move - but I had no problems at the front counter (my arm is visible), and no one staring at me inside.
Just do your research ahead of time about where to go or how to cover up. dont try to just go into any onsen without checking, the default is very negative attention around tattoos

There are tattoo-friendly onsen. It's becoming more accepted for tourists, especially white tourists, because the onsen operators and even most locals understand that white tourists' tattoos aren't gang-affiliated.
I went to Takaragawa Onsen and it was AWESOME. They also have modesty garments, so if you're not used to being in the buff around strangers, rest assured you'll be fine. Easily accessed from Tokyo via Jomokogen Station; they have a courtesy bus that can pick you up from there.

It varies based on where you go. Big tourist areas, likely those onsen are tattoo friendly. Also, I'd say to learn one phrase that asks if tattoos are okay. Irezumi wa daijobu desu ka? It's just a simple way of asking if tattoos are okay.

I think it’s not such a big deal anymore if you are obviously a foreigner. They have been seeing foreigners with tattoos for a long time now.

Nozawa onsen has many little ones you can go to, or book a private one at the hotel. Public ones made me cover up my half sleeve or denied me. The one on the Fuji lakes didn’t care. Bring a surfing rash guard, not as fun though.

Also any private ones are ok

There are some lovely guest houses with private onsens where it would be a non issue. Of course if you are looking for the „bath house“ experience that won‘t help.

I watched a bunch of YouTube’s on this. Maybe some good research opportunities on there.

30 Tattoo Friendly Onsen in Japan - GaijinPot Travel https://travel.gaijinpot.com/.../30-tattoo-friendly.../
TRAVEL.GAIJINPOT.COM
30 Tattoo Friendly Onsen in Japan - GaijinPot Travel

I hear there is an app now that shows tattoo friendly locations!

There are tattoo friendly places you can go to. It's mostly the traditional onsen you have to cover up for.

There are tattoo friendly bathhouses in Japan. The trick may be finding one nearby.

Yes you can cover with a towel in the bath house like the yakuza do. No problem . Respect their customs it isn’t Canada and their culture is way older than ours. You can also book your own private sento or onsen then it doesn’t matter

I would just goto Japan and ask at your hotel or where you happen to be staying if they know any? I was in Japan just before Covid and there’s ones that allow tattoos and some that don’t! Go and see it makes it more enjoyable if you find one that way then just planning everything out
Have fun and enjoy Japan you will love it!

At the very least, if you have some local contacts there, have them locate any rural informal "wild" hot springs ... hot water is in the ground practically everywhere in the mountains - I found some alongside mountain trails and alongside rivers where locals has just built pools and runs from loose rocks, just as people would in BC ... the most authentic experience, I would say.

Look into kinosaki onsen! An amazing, tattoo friendly town with many onsen. It's north of Kyoto via Shinkansen.

I didn’t know about tattoos are serious thing in Japan. Something new I learned today.

Kinosaki onsen are all tattoo friendly. It's a delightful little town about 2.5 NW of kyoto. They have 7 different onsen and we were able to go in all of them with tattoos. The women's side didn't care at all, and my husband noted that the men all avoided sitting near him, but we think that's more due to his size and beard.
We're going to Japan again in May and I've found several sento and onsen that are tattoo friendly or they will overlook if if you're a foreigner.
Yakuza tattoos have a very specific style and placement and they're pretty easy to recognize. A water colour flower on your ankle or shoulder isn't in the same ballpark by a long shot and most of the staff know that. If you had full back/chest designs in dark colours with dragon, tiger and youkai motifs, especially with a line of bare skin down the middle of the abdomen? Then yeah, that's not kosher.

Thanks all!
Now has anyone gone to see the snow Monkeys in Jigokudani?
Tips?

There are "tattoo friendly" onsen but they just give you patches to cover up your tattoos. There are also private onsens at a lot of places. If you have tattoos at all you will likely not be welcome in any public onsen without coverings.

Look into private time. Many "ryokan" (hotel) has onsen bath with private time allowance. Usually 30min to 45min or so. You have to pay a little extra but it's not too bad. Like $10 to 30 or so.
I personally like that better and if we go as a family we always do that. My kids were still small last time.

Depends on where you go, but I've been turned away for having tattoos when I went. Some are tattoo friendly or you can rent private ones.

Go to the yakuza one. They love tattoos

If you go to Kinosaki Onsen, it’s basically like a little onsen resort town and with 7 main onsens that you can go to. It’s about a 3hrs away from Kyoto by train. I went in October specifically because it is all tattoo friendly and loved it. I didn’t see anyone else with tattoos I think because it was low season but felt 100% comfortable there and never had anyone even give me dirty looks for being tattooed and wasn’t asked to even cover them etc. and I have ink all over.

There are a few onsens that are tatt-friendly, but the vast majority are not. At some hot spring areas you can have pvt rooms for individual bath experiences.
Understand that hotel swimming pools and fitness centres will typically not allow entrance unless the tatts can be covered.

I would recommend going to a Japanese onsen hotel (ryokan) where you can have your own private onsen experience.

Many ryokans in the Hakone area have private onsen in your room. Hakone is 1.5 hours from Tokyo.