Hello! My husband is active duty military in Okinawa. I've stayed in Okinawa for 2 months before, then also traveled to Osaka and Kyoto. I traveled during cold season so I was always covered up.
It will be my first time going to Japan when it's not cold; I'll be there late April until June. I have a lot of tattoos, especially a big one on my thigh. I know if you're a foreigner, you can get away with it. My active duty friends in Okinawa don't mind showing off tattoos, even the females.
Thing is, I'm part East Asian and everytime I was in Japan, the Japanese assumed I'm Japanese 100% of the time; I'm part Chinese. I swear, every single time I was out, I always had to say, "Gomennasai, I'm not Japanese" because they always speak to me in Japanese even if I speak to them in English first. And per my experience, if they know how to speak English, they'll only switch their language until I say I'm not Japanese. This said, in their eyes, I am Japanese.
Now that I am "Japanese-passing", I can't just use the foreigner card. One time in Okinawa, I wore a sleeveless top with low neckline and I received death stares all day from the Japanese. I was confused because my female American friends would even show off their belly buttons and full sleeves of tattoos, but they don't get stared at. Then I realized, maybe it's because the Japanese think I'm a Japanese woman?
As much as I just wanna be a "dumb foreigner" to get away with things, in their eyes, I must be a "disrespectful Japanese woman" instead.
Should I cover my big tattoos, especially at the beach?
And should I abide by the standards of the Japanese when it comes to clothing? I'm from the Philippines where it's hot so most of my clothes are sleeveless and showing a lot of skin (and in many cases showing my tattoos too).
Thank you so much!
by MissStellaMac