Tattoo friendly swimming spot?

6 comments

1. I’ve never had problems. The only beach that had no tattoo signs was Suma right next to the station but there are several smaller beaches in the area. And I’m heavily tattooed.

2. A beach is public land, no? If anyone tries to stop you from swimming, you can tell them to kick rocks.

3. Nagai pool doesn’t have a prohibition on tattoos afaik.

4. I was in Shirahama, and saw some young man with tattoo (they all looked fake). There is not an open restriction, I guess, but the people working there might arrange other excuses for you to leave, if people around you complain (some Japanese think it is scary, and they will say it to lifeguards). I don’t think there will be much of a problem, unless you find yourself in one of those private beaches, they can kick you out for real. At other places it is going to be…. a small… pressure.

   For any kind of pool, it is like you can enter with a rash guard in most places. I have yet to see a single place that allows tattoos. There is like 10% of the places that do not allow then at all, so you need to kind of check beforehand (SPA WORLD for example doesnt accept it at all “to not be confused with organized crime” and for “hygene reasons”. The new Umekita Onsen allows if you can cover with the stickers).

   The onsens are getting better slowly (Kinosaki Onsen has no restriction whatsoever), but the pools are just no good. Too many kids go, they are not very willing to open up to the “”””””””risk of mafia”””””””””.

5. Suma beach a bit away from the station would take you. But in summer during the day I recommend hardcore surfing style clothes like long sleeves and long pants. Sun here is brutal and cancerous.

6. If they’re on your upper body, a rashguard (short- or long-sleeved) wouldn’t be out of place.