Current Events > What is it like to live in Japan as a visibly tattooed westerner?

(+) Yeah! (+)

1. You will not be able to join a gym, go to public bath or onsen (hot spring). My gym actually has pictures and signs in English and Japanese that tattoos are not allowed. It would freak people out and other members would quit.
2. Most "good" girls would not date a guy with a tattoo, especially visible. Nearly all parents would disapprove vehemently. I wouldn't expect to have any type of relationship with her family and most likely if she's close to hers at all, she would have to make a choice. You'd think it's so barbaric to disown or shun a daughter for who she dated but it's actually not that uncommon. Think 1950's and a white woman brings home a black man to her family.
3. People would actually be more scared of you if you dress well with tattoos. You would certainly be taken for a mafia member. While most Westerners think it's funny, they are still very much active here. Think 60's Vegas or 70s-80's East Coast where people actually did get roughed up and killed, not appear on reality TV shows.
It won't mean you can't find a gf, wife or friends but just like finding a job if you had to, you limit yourself a lot since it's an extremely conservative society. At least it's not Saudi Arabia.
I've always wanted a tattoo but my wife said if I get any, even a tiny one of a cartoon character, she would divorce me and she lived in the US for 15 years. Not a joke by the way, most Japanese people don't joke.

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Wow, this is exactly what my mom would say.

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Tattoos are garbage anyway.

Yeah, that's because in Japan tattoos on your body are seen as a sign of being a Yakuza member.

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Im tall and have red hair. I feel like I would still get bombarded.

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This has nothing to do with you being a westerner (although you will encounter discrimination for that), this is because tattoos are associated with yakuza membership.

Bass_X0 posted...

3. People would actually be more scared of you if you dress well with tattoos. You would certainly be taken for a mafia member.

why would it be more likely for them to think a white dude is a japanese mafia member rather than just some tourist with tattoos?

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I've got a friend with a lot of tattoos that had visited Japan previously. He had to be almost completely covered up to prevent people from actively staring and some places turned him away anyway because they could see the tips of a tattoo on the back of his hand. He actually had to go to a couple of different bath houses before he found one that would take him specifically because of his tattoos.

Seems silly, but over there having tattoos is practically like openly proclaiming that you're a gang member.

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I've only ever spent a couple weeks at a time in Japan but I have tattoos and never experienced any serious issues. There were a handful of restaurants I tried to go to and I got the X, but I don't speak Japanese so I didn't know if it's because they were closing, or because of tattoos, or because I'm white lol.

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I hate tattoos myself. I think they look so bad. Not the art itself, but the idea of inking skin. When I was young, I wanted some, but as I got older, I realized how stupid it would be to do so. If others want them, power to you, but I hate them and would not want one going forward in my life.

That said, I'd be fine in Japan's public eye, except for my 'being trans' part of it.

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ALIEN_WORK2HOP posted...

why would it be more likely for them to think a white dude is a japanese mafia member rather than just some tourist with tattoos?

Its a culture thing, most east asians do t look to kindly on tattoos in general. There are yakuzas that sometimes dont look japanese because they are mixed race and tattoos in general intimidate other people.

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Dats pretty dumb.

s0nicfan posted...

Seems silly, but over there having tattoos is practically like openly proclaiming that you're a gang member.

kinda dumb though cause it should depend on what tattoo it is. like if it's those full body tats that the yakuza actually tend to like...that's one thing. but what if it's just a heart on some girl's ankle or something? they would turn her away? and think she's a gangster?

If you have a tattoo to them it means you might be a gang member.

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Is this supposed to be surprising or do you really think tattoos look good
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RiKuToTheMiGhtY posted...

If you have a tattoo to them it means you might be a gang member.

Lmao this logic is fucking terrible tho

Sayoria posted...

I hate tattoos myself. I think they look so bad. Not the art itself, but the idea of inking skin. When I was young, I wanted some, but as I got older, I realized how stupid it would be to do so. If others want them, power to you, but I hate them and would not want one going forward in my life.

That said, I'd be fine in Japan's public eye, except for my 'being trans' part of it.

Agreed. I appreciate the skill, and talent, but I would never ink myself.

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pepper2012 posted...

Lmao this logic is fucking terrible tho

No different than the majority of Americans who assume if you're black then you're a criminal.

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That is just how that culture is, it seems silly to us but its their country and their view.

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WhinyZach posted...

Not really, when only gang members get tats in a culture.

So stereotypes are ok now?

pepper2012 posted...

So stereotypes are ok now?

They are saying that only Yakuza get tattoos in Japan. Is it a stereotype? Ask someone who lives in Japan. It might actually be true.

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True story: I had no clue tatoos were expensive. I went to get one and saw the prices and left and never attempted to get one again.

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coh posted...

Tattoos are garbage anyway.

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i've heard before that they dont let americans in the public bathing/hot springs anyway. that there's a general belief that anyone non-japanese is unclean.

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Lairen posted...

True story: I had no clue tatoos were expensive. I went to get one and saw the prices and left and never attempted to get one again.

Definitely best to know what youre getting into. My artist charges about $110 an hour and thats considered cheap for the area.

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monkmith posted...

i've heard before that they dont let americans in the public bathing/hot springs anyway. that there's a general belief that anyone non-japanese is unclean.

You go to the bath to get clean.

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SH_expert44 posted...

You go to the bath to get clean.

public bathing involves sharing water... and there's fairly strong xenophobia in japan.

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Lairen posted...

True story: I had no clue tatoos were expensive. I went to get one and saw the prices and left and never attempted to get one again.

Did you think you're gunna pay minimum wage for a tattoo

monkmith posted...

public bathing involves sharing water..

fuckin gross that this still happens in a COVID-19 world.

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What about a visibly tattooed westerner female?

Why does the first post assume the westerner is a male?


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What use do tattoos have anyway.

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monkmith posted...

public bathing involves sharing water... and there's fairly strong xenophobia in japan.

If you just show them your extensive anime collection, they'll realize you're one of them and let you in.

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NeonOctopus posted...

If you just show them your extensive anime collection, they'll realize you're one of them and let you in.

They hate weaboos the most though.

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I had my trip to glorious Nihon cancelled this April. Gonna try again next spring.

I have a tattoo on both my arms, but not sleeves or anything. I speak some Japanese, so I'm curious to see what happens next year when we go lol.

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I don't get why people get VISIBLE tattoos anyways. If the tattoo has such significant meaning to you, you shouldn't have to show it off to the world to justify that meaning (although I'm certain 90% people who get visible tattoos don't get it for any sort of "meaning").

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DK9292 posted...

They hate weaboos the most though.

Nah, that's just bakka gaijin american propaganda

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Flockaveli posted...

What use do tattoos have anyway.

They feel good when you get them, they feel good when they're healing, and I like the colors on my skin.

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NeonOctopus posted...

Nah, that's just bakka gaijin american propaganda

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DK9292 posted...

Im so going to use the bottom pic more often.

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A White Yakuza member???

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Japan is weird

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