For many years now I have been considering getting a small tattoo on my arm. I would like it to signify something of importance, and so one of my initial thoughts was to get a tattoo to commemorate our pilgrimage after we got home. However, since the trip has now been postponed at least six months and probably also a year, and since I have finally found an artist whose work I really love, I decided to do it now instead. This way, I reasoned, the tattoo would be a gift to myself for finishing my master thesis earlier this summer and also for turning 30 later this year.
The artist I have been in contact with works in Hamburg and only accepts bookings four times a year, so getting an appointment has taken some time and it likely won’t happen before October or November. However, the getting into the booking process had me remembering one of the reasons why I had initially been holding off on getting a tattoo until after we got home; Tattoos can potentially cause some issues when traveling in Japan due to the country’s complicated history with using them as a form of punishment for criminals. And after reading up on it today, I am now even more in doubt as to whether I should put my tattooing plans back on hold.
This piece from 2017 makes it out as if getting a tattoo is likely to have us banned from most onsen. Furthermore, showing a tattoo at a religious site, such as a temple or a shrine, can be viewed as insensitive. Since walking between Buddhist temples and washing off at onsen in the evening are the two activities we plan to make up the bulk of our trip, getting a tattoo right before we leave might not be the best idea. The thought of not being able to take a warm bath after a long day of walking is rather disheartening. Also, the last thing I want is to appear insensitive or disrespectful to the users of the temples – in my experience, there are already plenty of ways you can mess up as a foreigner in Japan without adding extra obstacles for yourself.
This newer piece from 2020 provides a bit more hope though. As is mentioned in the end, due to the increased amount of tourists and international influences in Japan “the tattoo taboo won’t, and simply can’t, last.” The comments sections on both articles also mostly contain stories of people who haven’t had any major issues while traveling or living in Japan with tattoos.
The thing about Japanese culture, though, is that by ignoring unwritten rules like this, you are likely to make people feel very uncomfortable without them necessarily saying anything to you about it. As a Westerner I am sorry to admit that my cultural default response to this discomfort is to just ignore it and think that it is peoples’ own problem if they have an issue with the way my body looks. However, while this might be an appropriate response in Denmark, I think it is important to acknowledge that we are going to Japan as guests. Furthermore, we are not traveling to a big, international city like Tokyo or Osaka this time. Rather we are going to be staying in little costal towns around Shikoku, which is the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. Therefore, being respectful to the customs and traditions of those who live there is important, even if we are unlikely to meet any of them again. And while such considerations might seem obvious to some, I think many Westeners (myself included) often tend to defend their right to personal expression over the consideration of other peoples’ feelings.
The latest development on the issue is that for the first time since tattooing was legalised in Japan in 1948, it is now legal to tattoo someone without having a medical license. During the trial the Osaka High court declared that “tattoos have decorative and artistic features, and that they are not for medical purposes.” This is definitely an indicator of a more relaxed attitude towards tattoos, but it will likely take some time before such an attitude spreads to the general population.
I am still not sure whether I should get my tattoo this fall or hold off until after the pilgrimage. The tattoo I am planning to get is not too large, so I think it would be possible to cover it up if necessary, as is also suggested in many of the articles written on the subject.
There is no doubt that tattoos are becoming more accepted in Japan these days. However, the question remains if the development will happen fast enough that I won’t inconvenience myself and others too much by getting one now.
As always, if you have any thoughts or experiences on the matter, please leave us a comment, it would be greatly appreciated.