Tattoo Friendly Public Baths in Japan

One of the things we wanted on our trip to Japan was to try out the onsen experience (especially after a long day of touristing). We both enjoyed the nude Zuiver Spa when we were in Amsterdam a couple of years ago, so we thought we’d do it again in Japan.

But we soon found out that onsens forbid visitors who have tattoos because of its association to yakuzas. You won’t even see many young people with tattoos, as it’s not considered socially acceptable in Japan.

Sean and I both sport a tattoo or three between us, so we looked to hotel accommodations (within our price range) with tattoo friendly public baths (or sentos). Not a surprise – there weren’t that many.

However, with a ton of tourists and athletes touching down in Japan for the Summer Olympics next year, it’ll be interesting to see if restriction will be lifted or changed – even temporarily.

I did the research, narrowed down our choices and in the end, we were very happy with our choice of hotels, their amenities, locations, and the quality of their public baths.

If you’re in the same predicament as we were, I hope these recommendations will help:

Hotel Felice Akasaka by Relief – Tokyo
107-0052 Tokyo Prefecture, Minato-ku Akasaka 3-12-5

Mitsui Garden Hotel Gotanda – Tokyo
141-0022 Tokyo Prefecture, Shinagawa-ku Higashi Gotanda 2-2-6

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo – Kyoto
604-8166 Kyoto, Kyoto, Nakagyo-ku Sanjodori Karasuma Nishiiru Mikura-cho 80

Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba – Osaka
542-0086 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chuo-ku Higashishinsaibashi 2-2-5

Practically all the Japanese onsens and public bathhouses are segregated by sexes. Unlike Spa Zuiver in Amsterdam, there are no mixed gender onsens in Tokyo. There may be a few in Kyushu’s prefectures: Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Oita.

If you’re looking for tattoo friendly public baths not in hotels, try these recommendations.

Etiquette to keep in mind when at an onsen or public bath:

• The basic rule is to take a bath totally unclothed. Wearing swimsuits is not allowed.
• Kakeyu is the Japanese custom of washing and rinsing the body with hot water before entering the tub.
• No swimming, jumping around, splashing or diving into the communal bath.
• It’s important to keep your unwashed hair and towel out of the bath.
• Do not dunk your head under the water. It’ll prevent oil, and hair product residue from contaminating the bath. Washing hair or clothes in the bath is not allowed.

If you have any of the following, you may not be permitted to use onsens and public baths:

• Tattoos or gang affiliations.
• Heart-related conditions.
• Skin-related conditions.
• Any contagious disease.
• Permission is also refused if you are drunk or under the influence of alcohol.

8/16/19 Addendum – Please keep in mind that these hotels were accommodating of tattoos in the baths at the time of our trip. Mitsui Garden Hotel Gotanda in Tokyo and Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo even state on their websites that they are offering cover up stickers for tattooed guests on a trial basis – although we were never offered them during our stay. Hotels can and may change their policies at any time. My advice would be to shoot their guest relations an email to confirm before booking.

Photos: Hotel Felice Akasaka by Relief, Mitsui Garden Hotel Gotanda, Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo, Candeo Hotel Osaka Namba.