Thousands of hot springs in Japan are rethinking their long-standing ban on tattooed bathers, as the country prepares for the arrival of an estimated 400,000 fans for this autumn’s Rugby World Cup.
Visitors are accustomed to warnings to cover up their body ink while they are in Japan, where tattoos are traditionally associated with membership of yakuza crime syndicates.
But the expectation that a large number of visiting fans with tattoos will want to soak in the restorative waters of Japan’s numerous hot springs has led some operators to relax their restrictions.
Tourism officials near Sapporo, which will host England v Tonga, said they would leave individual hot spring owners to decide whether to admit tattooed bathers.
Some establishments will provide stickers to conceal smaller tattoos while others will designate certain times of the day as “tattoo-friendly”.
